Different Galaxies Same Fighting Hearts
by BeeSamusnChief
Summary: After loosing Cortana and gaining, his team back. Master Chief would have never thought of himself to become a father figure. Sent to investigate an unkown alien planet, the Covenant have invaded. Chief and the rest of Blue Team are put in a situation they've never been through in spartan history. Link to the full cover /art/Different-Galaxies-Same-Fighting-Hearts-Cover-569152729
1. Chapter 1

**Hello readers, Thank you for exploring my Halo/Metroid story. It's going to be different, no romance will be involved between Chief and Samus. I was going to do one but thought of something different instead. Anyway I hope you enjoy the story, and just a warning my writting style is humour and family. But I will keep Master Chief's character that we all love, just with a few minor changes, such as a little more talkative, and have some more emotions. And I will definetely express Samus's personality that I have created, I hope you will like it.**

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Part 1 chapter 1: Discovery of young armour.

Spartan John 117, awoke too hissing sound of his cryo chamber opening. Sorry to wake you so suddenly sir, but you are needed." A marine greeted as Chief stepped out from the cryo tube. After running a few quick scans and tests, the marine got straight to the point. "Chief we have found a planet that the Covenant are digging on. We got in a bit of a dog fight, but easily pulled through. The Admiral is waiting on the bridge sir, he will brief you through the rest." Chief nodded in compliance, gazing at the other cryo pods, he could see his team had already been awoken. Leaving the chamber, the giant spartan made his way through the cooridors, into the bridge. Staring out the large lookout window was Admiral Lord Hood, beside him was Captain Laskey of the UNSC Infinity.

"Sir." Chief stood tall, at attention, saluting the Admiral. "At ease Chief." Admiral smiled, turning back to the window.

"Sorry for the quick thaw, but we need to put you to work." Lasky gave an apology, before looking down at the data pad in hand.

"Yes, we seemed to have found the Covenant attacking an unknown planet." Lord Hood gestured Chief over to the glass he stood by. Below was a dusty large planet, that Covenant cruisers were surrounding.

"The planet seems to have an advanced, ancient civilization." Lasky presented his data pad to the Chief. John looked down at the images, seeing giant bird like statues. "We sent our drones down to scout out the terrain. These are the only images we got, before the Covenant shot them down." Lasky continued, opening another image on the datapad. "And it seems that the Covenant is digging through some of the ancient stone." the image showed a few Elites and Jackles entering a huge stone doorway to a cave. Master Chief studied the photo closely. Before Lasky pulled the pad away, Chief cuaght a glimps of what looked like a small being in orange armour, standing on the stone ledge watching the invasion. "We could only guess they are looking for some weapons that cuase mass destruction."

"We would like you to fly to that location, take a team down there, and see what they are after. And retrive whatever it is they're looking for, before it falls into the wrong hands." Lord Hood gave his orders finally.

"Sir, yes sir!" Chief saluted, before being dismissed.

As he made his way to the pelican, he thought about that armoured figure he saw in the image. It looked like an advanced version of spartan armour. Could that have been one of the inhabitants of the planet, or a major threat? Either way the amoured being didn't look to large, child size even. But size did not matter when it was a threat.

"Chief you ready to go we're all set?" Kelly called from the opened pelican. Chief jogged into the fired up pelican, grabbing his assault rifle, he stood by the hatch with Kelly as it closed. "So you have any idea what this planet is, or what the natives are like?" the shift of balance changed, as they took off out of the hanger.

"I haven't the slightest clue..." Chief shrugged. "Kelly, did we send a Spartan or ODST team out for recon, while the drones were out?" John asked, turning to the female. Thinking maybe the image glitched and made the persons armour orange.

Kelly sat down beside the other female on the team. "No, why do you ask?"

"No reason." Chief went back to being silent in his thoughts alone. John braced himself as the ride got rough, obviously they were entering the atmosphere.

"Spartans, ETA five minutes." The pilot warned the team.

"Prepare yourselves, load your weapons, and take plenty of ammunition. We might be dealing with more than just the Covenant." Chief didn't have to tell his team twice, they were preped and ready before the hatch even opened.

In the distance a smaller armoured form was watching the Spartans unload out of the ship. The new aliens that invaded the planet were not the usual Space Pirates. They had interrupted her training session, and slaughtered the Chozo who raised and trained her. And now more scary looking invaders were dropping in. But to her surprise the new aliens were getting rid of the many other aliens. Cautiously, Samus decided to follow the new invaders keeping out of site, and knowing the planet like the back of her hand, she had a great advantage.

Kelly taking point, lead the team to the stone temple enterance. The team on the way, killing several snipping Jackles and suicidal grunts. Stopping at the enterance, Master Chief gazed up at where he had seen the armoured form in the image. The form was no where to be seen in site. "Chief are you coming or not!" Fred called to where the rest of the team stood halfway in the doorway. John quickly, shook off the thoughts and followed the team in.

Inside was dark, there flashlights were engaged, John knew this dark situation to well, holding his rifle in a definsive position. Cloaked Elites loved to surprise you, especially when in the dark. Only thing is was it was relatively easy to spot their armours sheen, if you're not to late. The other Spartans mimicked Chief's moves, being on high alert for anything out of the ordinary. Chief caught movement on his radar whirling around he saw a flash of orange. Before he could follow the flash a cloaked Elite attacked. As did the other Sangheili attacked the rest of the team. Chief sprayed the Sangheili with bullets depleting it's shields, it refused to back down. Tackling Chief to the ground, he hit it hard in the face, with the butt of his gun. He struggled under it's wieght and pressure. "Chief!" Kelly attempted to make her way to the struggling battle, but got blocked by five more Elites. John's shields were depleting quickly, as the Elite that was attacking ripped the rifle from him, and activated it's energy sword. As it raised it's weapon Chief knew he couldn't do much but continue his struggle, he had no chance of reach his combat knife. "Chief!"

Samus, had to make a quick decision. This was her fault, she had no idea such aliens could cloak themselves and no idea it was stalking her. She had painted a target on the leader of the good aliens, and had gotten him into trouble. The decision was made. Charging her cannon she aimed at the attacking creatures head, and released the blast.

Chief saw a blast orange, then felt the full body wieght of the Elite collapse ontop of him. And the energy of the sword fall next to his head. "What the hell was that!?" Linda asked after seeing the life saving shot. Firing her rifle at a charging Elite in the distance.

Samus sighed with relief, as the good alien pushed the lifeless husk off him, and took the sword in hand, deactivating it. Chief then looked up, over to the right, where the blast had come from. Seeing the small armoured form standing near a large, broken statue. Samus gasped at being discovered, quickly hidding behind the statue. Hoping the good alien didn't see her. Much to her avail John saw her, and proceded to follow his curiousity. "Hello?" Samus ignored the greeting. Chief crouched near the statue and continued to communicate. "I am no threat. I want to thank you for saving me." Samus shifted her position, slowly peeking her lime green mask around the statue.

After finishing off the rest Elites the team scrambled over to Chief. "Chief are you alright!" Kelly asked rushing over. John held his hand up signaling for the team to halt. The team obeyed and took offensive positions, pointing their rifles at the newly found creature. Samus saw that as a threat, wanting to point her cannon right back, she could not, because the one she had saved was in her way. So she decided to hide behind the statue once more.

"At ease Kelly." Chief ordered Kelly and the rest of the team. The team obeyed and lowered their weapons cautiously. "It's ok, they're not a threat. Come on out." The team exchanged looks and waited for something to happen.

Kelly opened a private com. "Chief what are you doing, this thing could be a threat?" Kelly warned. "Kelly if it was a threat, it wouldn't have saved my life." Chief simply replied ending the conversation.

Samus took a deep breath, closing her eyes. After a moment she slowly stood, stepping out from the statue, infront of the life she saved. The form was tall yet still small about the size of a preteen child. "I'm Master Chief, Spartan John 117. I lead this team, that's Kelly, Linda, and Fred." Chief stood, towering over the smaller form. Each Spartan bowed their head as there name was mentioned. "And what is your title?" Chief asked politely.

Samus was hesitant to answer. Somehow she couldn't find her voice through the group of strangers she stood infront of. "Do you even understand what we are saying?" Kelly asked, as polite as she could. Chief sighed at Kelly's hostile tone, but noticed that the armoured form nodded at her question.

"I...I'm Samus Aran." a shakey, youthful voice answered.

"It's a child!" Linda gasped, along with the rest of the team. Samus winced at the sudden shock from the team of so called Spartans.

"Easy team, you're frightening her." Chief waved the team off. "Where are your parents?" Chief knelt back down to the childs level. Samus turned her head, and didn't answer, her throat filled itself with sorrow. Chief understood the message and moved onto the next question. "Are you native to this planet?" Samus shook her head.

"I was brought, trained and raised here when I was three, after my planet was destroyed." Samus replied at a bearly audible whisper. The Spartans leaned in closer wondering if the child had actually spoke, or there was a small wind.

"I'm sorry for your loss. Where are the one's who raised you?" Kelly took a step closer and asked.

"Attacked by the monsters that just attacked you." Samus choked out.

Chief stood up once more, and gave a heavy sigh, she didn't say they were dead, but Chief knew to well that an Elite never leaves a kill half alive.

"You know this planet well?" Fred walked over and asked. Samus nodded eagerly. "Excellent why don't you join us and help us out?" Fred placed an arm around the kid and started frocing her forward.

Samus began to panic, and Chief could read that. "Fred slow down, let her go." Chief sighed separating the two. "Fred take the team and go ahead I'll catch up." Chief gestured down the cave.

Kelly nodded and understood what Chief wanted. "You heard. Lets move!" Fred lead the team away from the two.

The moment of silence came once the team was far enough down the cave. Chief sat down on a stone next to Samus. "That's a nice suit of armour where'd you get it?" Chief went outside of his usual solitary personallity, by starting a conversation with a stranger.

Samus smiled under her helmet. "It's my Varia suit, Grey Voice, and Old Bird gave it to me halfway through training" Chief raised an eyebrow. "Old Bird, Grey Voice?" he questioned. "The Chozo who brought me here and trained me. They are feathery... uh.. I mean bird like and are... they... live on this planet." Samus tried to find the correct words to explain, without sounding completely like a child.

John smiled at the corrections the child made. "You keep saying training I don't understand, what training do you have?" John questioned.

"Combat, hacking, search and rescue, advanced martial art skills, tracking, piloting, demolition, and survival training." Samus listed off in her youthful voice. Chief shook his head almost losing track of the things the kid listed. "Well surely you are prepared for anything." Chief smiled.

"Chief quit chatting with the kid, we could use some back up!" Fred called over his com. "On my way Fred." Chief ended. "Well no sense in leaving you here alone. Come with. With your training we could use the help." Samus happily complied and followed the giant man in armour. Catching up to the team, they passed by many corpses of different raced aliens. Then they were stopped by a wall, where the team had been stuck.

"Nice of you to join us kid." Fred patted Samus's head. Samus winced at the strong hand and pushed it off. "Your a strong one aren't ya!?" Fred teased.

"Fred can we focus here." Linda scoffed, walking over with Kelly. "There's no way around the wall."

"I mean it's a door, but there's no way of opening it." Kelly turned to John for an answer. "We might have to blast it down then." Chief sighed.

"No!" Samus cried out, to the teams surprise.

"What's wrong Samus?" Chief gave a soft tone.

"I'll open it, just wait a second." Samus quickly transformed into her morph ball, and rolled into a small hole in the bottum corner of the wall.

"Di... did she just turn into a ball?" Kelly looked at the others. Before anyone could answer the wall vibrated, pulling itself apart with Samus standing on the other side.

"Um... Good job kid?" Fred was confused.

"The activation pad was on this side, that's why I had to go into morph ball." Samus replied.

"Ok let's continue." Chief let Kelly take point. He followed, with Samus quickly following in tow.

"Mr. Chief?"

Chief interrupted her as the team spread out infront of them. "Call me Chief."

Samus went silent for a moment. "Chief why are you here?"

Chief sighed. "I was hoping you could help me with that." Samus tilted her head in confusion. "You saw the alien that attacked me, I was hoping you would know why they would be here?"

"They crave power and go after any powerful weapons, or assets" Fred added looking around a corner. "Clear."

"I don't know what they would be looking for, there's nothing overly powerful here, Mother Brain and the Metroids had been destroyed already by space pirates, the Chozo swear to protect the galaxy they make incredible tech but thats about it. The only thing that has weapons that they created that's still works, is me and my suit... er I and my suit." The team then quickly looked back at Chief, Chief then suddenly realized what it was the Covenant was looking for.

"Samus, where does this go too?" Chief quickly questioned.

"The living quarter in Brinstar where I stay." Samus simply replied.

"Command, we have precious cargo and need the pelican for evac immediately." Linda quickly contacted command.

"Samus is there an LZ anywhere?" John turned to the girl.

"A wha..."

"Somewhere we could land an aircraft." John explained.

"Yes we go down the cooridor, and to the left is an opening that leads to a landing zone. Follow me!" Samus took off, to the teams surprise fast enough that they had a difficult time catching up, only Kelly was able to keep up.

getting into the opening of the supposed landing zone, there was a roof that shielded the area. "Hey little kid. You said there was a landing zone!" Kelly growled starting to get frustrated.

Ingnoring being called a little kid. "I just have to activate the shield doors and it will be good. The controls are up there." Samus quickly answered pointing about a hundred feet up.

"How the hell are we supposed to get up there, we don't have the time to climb!" Linda hissed.

Samus quickly lept up quite few high up platforms, quickly reaching the top in record speed. "Chief looks like her way is blocked by some decent sized rubble." Fred sighed. "Send her up a frag..." As Kelly spoke, an explosion came, as Samus shot the rubble with a missile. Samus quickly used her grapple to swing across landing on the platform and activating the door.

"No wonder the Covenant wants her she's got everything. She's the perfect upgrade of an elite soldier." Kelly spoke to John.

Chief nodded in agreement "All the more reason to get her off this planet, and onto the Infinity."

Kelly scoffed "But will she? This is her home have you even told what's going on? She seems a pretty naive to the whole situation." Chief sighed, he didn't think about that.

"Samus could you come down here!" Chief called. Samus turned to leap down but was swiftly slashed in the leg by an energy sword, and tackled down about twenty feet by an eight hundred pound Elite. "Samus!" Chief gasped attempting to climb to the rescue. Samus found what strength she could muster, and effectively kicked the beast off with her none injured leg. Shooting a charged beam into the aliens head, she quickly ended it's attempted assault.

"I'm here." Samus leapt down with a stumbled landing infront of Chief.

"Are you ok?" Chief examined the injured leg. A large deep slash wound, bleeding heavily in the cut opened suit. "I'm fine it just stings a bit." Samus shrugged.

"Chief is her suit open, this planet has a toxic atmosphere!" Kelly warned.

"Shit, can you breath!?" Chief gasped.

Samus smiled, deactivating her suit so it could repair, revealing her youthful person in a blue jumpsuit. "It's ok, I can breath here and other planets."

"Uh... Evacs here." Fred pointed to the pelican.

"Samus you need to come with us to heal your wounds, and to evacuate you from this planet." John began to escort Samus towards the ship.

"We have company closing in!" Kelly warned.

"Wait you're taking me away from my home!? But what about Old Bird and Grey Voice, they could still be ok!?" Samus refused the escort.

"Covenant is ready to glass this planet and are in position, we've got five minutes!" the pilot shouted as Covenant carriers flew over them.

"Kid they can't be saved! The Elite's don't leave a kill half alive! We have to go now they're about to glass this planet and us with it, if you don't get your ass in gear!" Kelly shouted at the girl. As hoard of Elites, Grunts, and Jackles began to charge at them. The pelican began taking off. "Chief!" Master Chief had no choice but to forcefully pick the girl up and jump in pelican.

Samus threw her arms around Chief's neck and watched the charge behind them, tears began to pour down her face, as they plunged into the pelican. Chief shielded the girl as they tumbled in. On the floor of the pelican, standing on his knees still clutching the young form. Samus let the tears roll as she watched the world she grew up on, dissolve under the Covenant might, as the hatch of the pelican slowly closed. It was just another home world she had to lose to another evil alien force.

Chief still holding the girl tightly, had no idea what to with the crying child. He stayed as if he were frozen, like a Jackle caught in the headlights of a warthog, thinking it's shield would protect it from impact. The team stood silently, quiet sobbing from the girl was the only noise, besides the hum of the engines. They understood how it was to loose a planet it reminded them of when Reach was lost.

"Here kid lets patch up that leg." Linda brought over the first aid kit. Linda knew the leg had to be healed before it got infected, placing some healing creams on the wound. Master Chief felt tiny fingers clenching tightly to the parts of him with no armour. He knew the sting of the creams hurt like hell and understood, the sudden grip. The grip got tighter, as Linda stitched up the wound.

Finishing up the stitch, her grip loosened, as her sobs quieted down. She was exhausted from the short battle, and the lose of blood didn't help keep her awake. She went limp in the Spartan's arms causing him slight panick. Standing up finally, he turned to Kelly. "Calm yourself John, she just fell asleep. She must have worn herself out." Kelly reassured Chief. John sighed and made his way to put the child on one of the seat but was stopped.

"I wouldn't bother, we are already back on Infinity." Fred mentioned, as the pelican landed softly in the hanger. "Wait a minute where's her suit?" Fred looked around in confusion.

John shrugged. "She somehow deactivated it and it disolved." Stepping out of the pelican with the child still in his arms. He met face to face with Lord Hood, and Lasky.

Part 2 Chapter 1: New Unknow Task

"A single human child on an alien planet alone? This is what the Covenant was after?" Lasky questioned in disbelief. The girl lay sleeping peacefully on the medical berth infront of them.

"Sir although we do not fully understand yet why the Covenant were searching for her. It was clear enough to see, with her capabilities she would be an elite soldier for the Covenant, and be even worse if they learned her technology." Kelly explained to the Captain.

"Abilities and technology?" both Admiral and Captain were confused.

"Once she is awake sir's you will see what we mean." Fred sighed.

Chief stood next to the slumbering form that was no longer clung to him, while Kelly explained the mission to the officers. Gazing down at the form, so young, yet so lethal. It reminded him of when he killed that ODST in the boxing ring, when he was younger.

"Well I suppose we let her rest, and question her as soon as she wakes." Lasky replied, leaving with Admiral Lord Hood. The team walked over to the Chief and gazed at the girl for themselves. "What are we going to do with her?" Linda questioned.

"Well we can't throw her out into the vast universe." Kelly sarcastically replied. "I don't know, I suppose it's up to Admiral and the Captain to decide."

A few hours later, after the team had left. Samus slowly began to awaken, her foggy eyes soon cleared, seeing she was in a small medical room with a doctor working on a monitor neraby. "Uh you are awake good to see little one." The voice made her jump, sitting straight up. "Sorry didn't mean to frighten you, I will call the others back in and let them know you have woken." The doctor spoke, grabbing some sort of communications device.

A few moments later an Admiral, and a Captain, entered. With the familiar armour of blue team in tow. They approached her, and she lost site of Chief, behind the team and commanding officers. "Hello ma'am, welcome aboard the UNSC Infinity, I'm Captain Lasky, the captain of this ship." Lasky introduced himself. Samus was silent, she wasn't replying, but she was listening. Both Admiral, and Captain were patient for an answer.

"I am Admiral Lord Hood, we are sorry for your losses." Lord Hood sent his sympathy to the young blood infront of him. "The Covenant are an unforgiving, powerful, destructive, power hungry force, that will stop at nothing to get what they want." Samus understood, and had gotten a taste of that for herself. "Miss Aran..." Samus looked at the Admiral surprised, Chief must have told them her name. "We are going to run you through a test, if you are alright with that?" Lord Hood asked politely.

Samus was hesitant, but complied. "Excellent, follow me." Lasky gestured Samus to come forwards. Her leg still stung she cautiously slid down the berth, and followed.

The team also did, along with Lord Hood, Chief still hanging in the back, out of site. Samus hung back, closer to the Spartans, then the leading officers. As they walked down the cooridor, past various amounts of marines. They all stared at her as she walked by. Walking by some construction, a marine lost grip of a heavy tool, it hit the ground with a loud, bang! Samus visibly jumped, she took a step back to be further out of site, by hiding between the Spartans. But ended up backing between the Spartans, and into Chief. Who stopped as she did so, or else he would have bowled her over. She gazed up at the giant, and he stood still and calmly awaited her movements. He reminded her of the Chozo, how they were that tall. When his comrades were getting to far ahead, he gave Samus a slight nudge, to get her moving. She snapped out of her thoughts, and began walking. John noticed the girl made no effort to catch up to the others, instead she stayed closely to his side, following his every step like a shadow. Only she had to take quite a few more steps, to keep up with the Spartan's stride. The commanders, and team were waiting patiently at the training simulation, test room door.

"Ok now that you are here. This is our training simulation, if you are still too sore from injuries, or uncomfortable with this test, you can choose to decline, and come back later." Lasky explained, escorting Samus into the room. Samus scanned the room with her eyes, it was a very well put together simulation, maybe it would be more fun then the Chozo training sim. She nodded in agreement to the officers, and they smiled. "Perfect step on in." Lasky gestured to the simulation enterance.

She looked and saw the team and commanding officers standing watching behind, the safety glass. "Ok just give me a thumbs up when you are ready." Lasky came over the com system.

"Master Chief are you certain this is appropriate for the young girl, to be doing such a test?" Lord Hood questioned.

"Positive sir." Chief gave a short answer. As Samus somehow activated her suit, and now was fully armoured.

Both officers eyes widened in astonishment, to that little trick. "Wish our armour was that easy to take on, and off." Kelly snorted.

Samus stood with her cannon in a ready position, and gave a thumbs up. The whir of machines came in earshot. As the simulation began, from behind the glass, the show was quite intersting. It was entertaining even, especially when the contorted into a morph ball, rolling away to dodge a grenade. Ending the session quickly, with a misslie, she stood in the middle of the room in a battle ready stance. "Ok, that was a little different, from the usual trained Spartans, that do the test." Lasy muttered.

"Hey I'm not about to contort myself into a ball, I don't bend like that." Kelly remarked.

"Miss Aran you may come out now." Lord Hood unsealed the door. Turning to the team of Spartans, he spoke sternly. "The Covenant would be more than happy to obtain, that tech, and her skill set."

"Yes sir it would be devastating." Fred agreed, as Samus made her way towards the door.

"Master Chief I am assigning you, and your team, too safeguard that child. You are the only ones I trust to do so. Do not allow the Covenant to capture her." Lord Hood sternly assigned the Spartans to a new unknown duty they were going to have to get used too.

"Sir what about in the field? We could use that kind of help on our team." Fred questioned. John understood what Fred was referring to. With Sam gone they still haven't found an appropriate replacement for him. Not that anyone could replace Sam's spot on the team, but it was starting to get difficult without a fith member.

"I will think about it, but for now we need more information about her, whoever can make her speak, try and get as much info as you can, we need more background on this girl."

"Well that would be Chief's job then, have fun Chief." Kelly scoffed cuffing her hand on the commanding Spartan's shoulder. Lasky and Lord Hood looked in shock at what the female Spartan had said, Chief being the only one to get answers from the child?

"Then the assignment is clear and understood?" Lord Hood asked, as Lasky spoke to Samus.

"Yes sir!" The team answered with a salute.

"Excellent, we will leave her to you." Both commanding officers left the room.

"Hey great job kid. You sure surprised the commanders." Fred greeted the girl.

"Yeah looks like you'll be hanging around us kid." Kelly added, with a small sigh.

Samus deactivated her suit, and only replied. "Ok." Which the team except for Chief chuckled at.

To Chief, this was no laughing matter. They had a life to guard, and protect from harm. It was their job to protect the child, not play, and joke with it. "Spartans we have a job to do, let's not loose focus on that." Chief warned his team to be on a searious note.

"John she's a child, not the usual Commanding officers, or eggheads we have to babysit." Linda reminded their leader softly.

"Yeah, we're actually babysitting." Kelly had to add her cleaver remark. John sighed and knew the two women were correct, this was complete,y different from the usual they dealt with. He suppossed he was just affraid he didn't have what it would take to be around a child.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Part 1: A Distant Pasts Two Wounded Hearts.

Soon after the training sim, the team had split off. Linda went to the target range, Fred went back to his own quarters, and Chief was going to go meet up with Kelly at the sparring mats in half an hour. And in that half hour, was his first shift of babysitting.

John sighed slowing his pace to a halt, for the umpteenth time. Samus quickly fast walked over to his side, and smiled up at him. Chief gazed down at the girl, giving a small nod in reply to the smile. He silently gestured in a gentlemanly way, with his hand for her to walk ahead of him. She did so with a playful leap and led the way.

He didn't understand, all he saw when they found the young girl, was her sprinting around. All of a sudden the pace had changed, now the girl struggled to keep pace with his stride. He guessed it was due to her healing leg, and the fact that she had that youthful curiousity to her, there were so many distractions to make her lag behind.

"Chief what's that!?" the questions began.

"Storage."

"Chief what's that!?"

"The mess hall."

"What's that!?"

"Artillery." at this point Chief's eye began to twitch.

"What's that!?"

"Recreational room..." He was beginning to wonder how an almost completely silent little girl, could get so chatty once everyone had left?

"Chief wha..."

"Samus!" Chief silenced the girl, stopping her in her tracks. Samus stared at him with big watery blue, green mixed, apologetic eyes. He sighed, he didn't mean to snap at her. John tried to figure out someway to change the subject. "So how old are you exactly?" He spoke in a calm voice, escorting her into his quarters.

"This much!" Samus cheerfully held up all ten of her fingers.

Chief drew his head back. "You're only ten?!" Samus nodded. "Alright Samus you're going to have to explain to me about yourself. I'm a little confused." Chief sighed, sitting on his berth. Samus stood in the middle of the room for a moment, sadly giving a sigh she complied, and began climbing onto the berth. Chief didn't know why, but he ended up helping the girl up, he supposed it was instincts kicking in. Not thinking anymore of it, he waited for Samus to begin her story.

"I was three, my planet were attacked by Space Pirates, lead by Ridely. They killed my mama and papa, and everyone on the planet." Samus's body quivered at the images her story brought back. Chief ignored her use of youthful vocab in her story, instead he reassuringly placed a hand on the childs shoulder, and awaited for her to continue. During her story Chief got flashbacks of his own childhood past.

Her explanation to the lose of her parents and now the Chozo, reminded him of when he was taken from his family to become a spartan, and the lose of Sam and Cortana. The lose of K2L and Zebes, reminded him of Reach. Her infusion of Chozo blood, and her training. Was his reminder of the training, and the augmentations he had gone through.

Through all that Chief was thankful, he still had Linda, Kelly, and Fred. They were a constant reminder to him that, through all the hell he had been through, he hadn't lost everything.

He just wished he could say the same, for the girl that sitting beside him. "Sorry... I didn't mean to..." he began to apologies, he was surprised at how well the child was excepting all the devastation that happened, he was starting to wonder if any of the stuff she told him scarred her mentally?

She shook her head and smiled at him. "It's ok... you have probably been through worser things." Chief smiled at the mispronunciation.

"It's... it dosen't matter who had it worse Samus. You still feel like you have been wounded, no matter how little, or how big of a lose you have taken. You understand Samus?" Chief sighed.

Samus slowly nodded, understanding the Spartan's meaning.

"Well Kelly is probably waiting for me by now, I've got to get going." Chief stood, changing the subject, he seemed to be doing that a lot today. Samus slid off the bed and went to follow. Before he reached the door he did a sudden halt.

"Oof!" Chief was suddenly impacted from behind. Chief chuckled in his head, as Samus shook of the sudden fact that she just walked into a brick wall. Then with sigh, he bent down to be level with Samus. "Samus, why don't you go see Linda? I'm sure she could think of something for you to do." Samus blinked in confusion, was Chief leaving? "I'll take you to her." Chief walked straight out of the room, leaving Samus.

She almost refused to leave the room, but her anxiety of being in an unknown place without someone she knew, soon flooded her. She darted out of the room in a panic, colliding into another armoured man passing in the cooridor. She easily fell back, onto the ground, she hit this brick wall with more force. "Whoa, hey you ok?" Samus jumped to her feet, staring at the new armoured person, with no helmet.

John, hearing the collision whirled around and jogged back over to a stuned Samus. "Sir!" Thorne quickly saluted Master Chief, as Samus instinctively hid behind the green armour,

Chief lifted his arms in surprise, following her quick swift move to hide, with his head. "At Ease Thorne." Chief turned his attention to the Spartan four. Thorne quickly divided his attention back to the young girl, hiding behind the much larger Spartan.

Clutching Chief's hand she effectively hid her face behind John's arm. Feeling the tiny hand in his own, John knew very well he could crush her hand without knowing it. He carefully closed his hand over the others tiny one, and gave a reassuring squeeze.

"Aw you're a little tough gal aren't you? I heard that Blue Team brought back a kid from that alien planet, but I didn't think it was true." Thorne squated to Samus's hieght. Samus ingnored his comment, and hid behind Chief even more. "Shy one isn't she?" Thorne scoffed. Chief did not answer. "I didn't know Spartan's were good playmates?" Again Chief ignored the comment, and jokes. Thorne gave one more salute, as Chief guided Samus, and continued down the hall.

As he walked, Chief felt his arm tug slightly behind as if it wasn't keeping up with him. He looked behind him, to see what the hell was touching him. Unknowingly he was still holding the smaller forms hand. He stopped so Samus was beside him once more, then released his hold on the childs hand. The tiny hand was red, from his grip he had, and he felt himself flooding with guilt. But at the same time he thought 'At least he didn't break it.'

"I'm sorry Samus, is your hand ok?" Chief took the small hand in his, and examined it carefully.

Samus answered with a giggle. "Your hands are really big, Just like Chozo!" Samus's youthful innocents, was enough to make the guilt wash away.

He smiled behind his visor, and rubbed Samus's head. "O...k... let's get going." Chief caught himself doing that odd behaviour again. Shaking his head, he escorted the child to the range.

Chief walked across the safety room, over to the door where you could enter the range. "Stay put, I'll be right back." Chief sternly ordered Samus, as he entered the range.

At that Samus quickly scrambled over to the safety glass, it was obviously not designed for childeren to gaze out of. But luckily there was a chair right next to the window. Climbing onto the chair, Samus stood on her knees leaning on the window, completely oblivious to the fact that the chair was slowly sliding away from the window. On the other side of the safety glass was a redheaded woman in a grey/black jumpsuit laying with a rifle, easily taking out every long ranged target in the simulation.

"Linda." The redheaded woman took her last target down, before Chief paused the simulation. Turning to see her armoured leader, she stood, putting the safety on, on her rifle.

"You're interrupting me for a reason, John?" Linda slung her rifle over her shoulder. John knew it irritated Linda when she was interrupted by someone, escpecially when taking her time away from her sniper. "Where's the neon kid?" Linda looked around to see no orange armour, or blue jumpsuit. The neon colours of the childs armour and jumpsuit bothered Linda, being a sniper that likes camouflage, and the element of surprise.

John looked over in the direction of the safety window, seeing Samus's small form bearly peeking over the windowsill, watching them. Linda followed his gaze, and also caught site of the child. "I'm meeting Kelly for sparring, and..."

"And thought you could drop the kid off on me, while you have fun training?" Linda scoffed, folding her arms. John stood completely still. In a way it was true, he was trying to put baysiting duty on Linda's shoulders. "I'll take your silence as a yes." Linda sighed, walking to the exit. "Well what the hell am I supposed to do with the kid John?" She hissed, as John caught up to her.

"Linda..." Chief begun as they entered the room. Samus turned to see the door open, as soon as her body shifted positions, the chair completely gave out, sliding out from under her. Linda winced at the echoed sound the hard smack against the cement flooring made. Both Spartans quickly slid to the side of the fallen child, helping her up. "Are you alright kid?" Linda asked, as Chief and her lifted Samus into a sitting position.

"I'm ok..." Samus held her right shoulder. Linda noticed, and removed the small hand, pulling the blue jumpsuit off of the shoulder. The small shoulder was bleeding from a small cut, and was completely red. Knowing A nice bruise would form there. Samus jumped up to her feet with a smile, brushing off the pain from her sore shoulder. "You have a really good shot, can you show me how to do that!?" Samus's youthful excitment caught the two Spartans off guard.

Chief smirked under his mask, at Linda's dumbfounded expression. "Um well... you need to be able to concentrate, and have patients." Linda mumbled.

"I could does all that!" Samus replied, speaking in her youthful incorrect vocabulary. Linda quirked an eyebrow and smiled.

"Ok, meet me at the door." Samus nodded and quickly ran to the door, as she was ordered, by Linda. Linda then turned to see the kneeling Master Chief staring at her. "Shut up..." Linda shoved Chief, before escorting Samus into the range. Chief shook his head with a smile, gazing out the window he watched Samus bounce across to the spot where Linda was sniping. With all of Samus's high energy, John wished Linda luck on sharp shooting training.

At that thought, another one came across his mind. Linda wasn't as quiet around Samus, like she usually would be around someone new, that she didn't know well. Chief was beginning to think that Samus's presence was influencing himself and his teams odd behaviour. "John where the hell are you!?" The annoyed voice of Kelly came onto his com, taking him out of his thoughts. He swiftly pivoted towards the exit, and left. "On my way Kelly." Chief ended.

Kelly was impatiently standing by the mats, with her arms folded. "About time. You're like fifteen minutes late, what the hell kept you?" Kelly scolded Chief as he entered. "And where's the kid, you lose her already?"

"Kelly one thing at a time. Sorry I'm late, I had to drop Samus off with Linda." Chief replied with a sigh.

Kelly smirked. "Couldn't bear to part with the kid, and leave her with a sharp shooter that never misses?"

Chief folded his arms. "Comforting Kelly, really." He sighed. "Can we just get on with sparring."

"Yes sir, we most certainly can." Kelly's words dripping with her quick witted sarcasm, made Chief roll his eyes shaking his head, as he stepped onto the mats.

At the Range.

"Ok just to be safe you better put on some armour." Linda suggested. Samus nodded activating her power suit. "Ok you have to tell me. How do you just throw your armour on and off like that?" Uncharacteristically Linda spoke in a curious manner, she had never really done that before.

"I use my mind." Samus replied. Linda was confused and Samus read that. "My power suit is powered by my mind. That's why it's so hard to keep on during a battle. I was just getting trained on how to keep it on, then those bad aliens came..." Samus sighed.

Linda nodded. "Well then you have an understanding of concentration. Excellent, lets start up some targets, you take them out with your current weapons. Then we'll see about rifle use ok?" Linda stepped off to the side, to the control pannel to the range.

"When do you think I can use the sniping shooter?" Samus pointed to Linda's rifle.

"Right now keep your core focus on taking your enemies down, without losing concentration on your suit. If you do good then we can try." Linda started the simulation.

The whir of machines came, and Samus went on guard. Pointing her arm cannon at the coming targets. Taking out each target on level one and two, Linda nodded in approval, and switched the training level to three. Multiple targets popped up, and came fast. Catching Samus, got caught off guard, whirled around and shot two targets behind her. Not thinking anything of it she forgot the sims behind her, getting shot by the simulators, she spun around in frustration. More targets began to pop up and move in, her suit flared, as she began to lose her concentration. Slowly her suit dissolved into her zero suit, and left her defenceless.

Linda was about to stop the simulation as they got a few more rounds into the kid, but paused, when Samus begun to fight hand to hand with the simulation targets. Taking the remaining targets down with ease. Samus panted, as the sound of machines powering down came in earshot. "Excellent work on bringing down your targets. But if those were Elites you'd probably be dead." Linda approached Samus, who nodded in understanding, as she was still catching her breath. "You lost your power suit. What happened?"

"I...I... to many..." Samus stuttered.

"Too many excuses, you couldn't be more correct." Linda folded her arms. Samus was about to speak but didn't get the chance. "No! What happened was you lost concentration. You let yourself panic, and in that flustered panic, you lost concentration. If I did that with my sniper rifle, I would miss all my targets. Missing my targets means I don't have me teamates back, and if I don't have their back I get my team, and myself killed!" Linda's tone was harsh, but Samus had been through enough hard lessons to understand, the tone was for teaching her to understand the realism and tragedy that could happen.

"Sorry." was the only response Samus gave, locking her gaze on the floor.

"That's it kid. I don't want you to be sorry for what could happen if you loose concentration." Linda sighed. Samus looked up at her apologetically, Linda stared back with straight eyes. "Sit." Samus was confused. "Sit, down." Linda repeated, this time more sternly. Samus slowly went down, sitting crosslegged on the floor. Linda soon did the same. "Close your eyes."

"Wha..."

"Close your eyes!" Linda was getting fed up with repeating herself. Samus tightly screwed her eyes shut. "Relax, and breath." Linda calmed her tone. Samus relaxed her muscles, and exhaled. "Good, now just focus on your breathing. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale." Samus did as she was told, but felt silly doing it. She gave a small giggle, opening one of her eyes. "Hey focus, and no peeking!" Linda gave Samus a playful smack. Samus closed her eye with a smile, and went back to focusing on breathing. Linda said nothing more until the childs face was straight, and relaxed. Samus began to get so relaxed she was almost falling asleep. Linda caught that and smiled, knowing it was time for the next step. "Ok now focus on your heart beat. Feel the steady rhythm as you inhale, and exhale. Don't forget, keep relaxed." She continued to guide. Linda examined the young warrior, no swaying, straight back, her posture was perfect. The steady rising of the girls chest indicated she was calm and focused. "Now, your power suit is part of you. It's all connected to your heart rate and your steady breathing. Continue your concentration, inhale, exhale." Linda breathed in sync with Samus. The last step was now going into motion. Linda watched, as small orange particles morphed together over Samus's form. The orange suit began to flare, even more, Samus kept her composure, her eyes still shut, breathing steadily. Soon enough Samus was fully armoured, no flaring, no dissolving, or malfunctions. Linda was proud her method of meditation, came as a great asset, and understanding for Samus. "Open your eyes."

Samus fluttered her eyes open, to her HUD. She looked down to her surprise, she was in her armour with no problems, or malfunctions, she didn't even know she had activated it! "How did I?" Samus looked up at a now standing Linda.

"Mind over matter. Use that as your key tool to keep your suit on. The steady breathing, and the pulse of my heart, is the only thing that help me when sniping. If I tense up and hold my breath I loose concentration. I also loose, oxygen, and blood flow to my brain, which causes me to loose my aim." Linda explained.

"How does you fire your gun then?" Samus questioned youthfully.

Linda smiled. "I exhale when taking a shot, releasing my energy into my rifle, and into that bullet." Samus was astonished, why didn't she think of that? "Now with that advice, take it and put it to use." Linda went to the control panel once more. On her way to the panel, she was feeling uneasy. She was completely out of her character, she was speaking a full on conversation with a child. Although it was a lesson she was giving, it was still on the odd side for her. Somehow the presence of the girl, made her feel completely comfortable with having a conversation.

"I'm ready!" Samus waved at Linda, who was deep in thought. Linda nodded and restarted level three. The simulation began with the many targets, that had stressed out and made Samus loose focus. Samus began breathing steadily, focusing on her heart beat, and the connection it made too her power suit. Raising her weapon, she inhaled. Exhaling she released her energy into her cannon, firing at each target, never missing. Picking up movement from behind, she quickly transformed into morphball. Rolling out of sites, and flanking the sims from behind, by planting a bomb behind each target. Rolling back to the front of her stunned targets, she shot them down quick without flaw.

Samus began squealing jumping up and down with joy. "I did it!" rushing over to Linda who was turning the simulation off. Linda all of a sudden went frozen when small arms wrapped around. "I did it Linda! Did ya see, did ya see!" Samus looked up at the stunned redhead.

"Uh, yeah... kid... I.. uh.. saw yeah." Linda awkwardly answered, slowly prying Samus off of her.

"Your matter of mind worked!"

"Mind over matter." Linda corrected, walking to the exit.

"Mind over matter, worked!" Samus repeated correctly this time, deactivating her suit. She followed in tow of Linda.

"Yes, maybe next time, after some more practice, you can try the rifle." Linda replied cleaning her rifle.

Just then three Spartans entered the room. Samus eagerly ran up to the tallest one, bouncing up and down like a rubber ball infront of him. "Chief, Chief! Linda taught me time of matter..."

"Mind over matter." Linda sighed.

"Mind over matter thingy, and I kicked the sims butt!" Samus continued her excited bouncing, waving her arms in an excited manner.

Master Chief grabbed hold of the flailing arms, bobbing his head up and down, to the pace of Samus's bouncing. "You did?! Good job, Samus..."

'Wait a minute, did he just praise a child in a playful tone?' Linda, Fred, and Kelly even shot him an odd expression. Releasing his hold on Samus, he cleared his throat. "Excellent work Linda." Chief rubbed the back of his helmet. "What, no good job Linda?!" Kelly elbowed Chief teasingly, with Linda smirking along with her, while Fred hid his expression behind his visor.

"Enough!" John sternly ordered. The last thing he needed, was too be not seen as the serious commanding officer he was. The two ladies cleared their throats, quickly standing at attention.

Samus was confused, why did he get so angry, they were just teasing him? John glared at them for a few moments, before allowing the two to relax. "As you were."

Linda, and Kelly obliged and relaxed themselves. "So how'd wrestling go?" Linda sighed, and continued back to her cleaning.

"Good, I only pinned Chief twice. Then Fred came in, and versed him, and it was like watching two bears fighting over a honeypot." Kelly shrugged.

"That's not funny, we do not fight like that." Fred disagreed, with Kelly's point of view.

Samus couldn't help but giggle at the Kelly's choice of words, seeing Chief as a bear would be a pretty funny sight to see.

"I think your argument has been overruled." Kelly smirked, gesturing to Samus.

Chief noticed the atmosphere when Samus was around, once again, had changed the teams personality.

"Chief can I spar with Kelly too?" Samus tugged on the Spartans hand.

"Uh, um perhaps another day Samus." Chief replied, with a shrug.

"Aaaw... Ok." Samus sadly sighed.

"How about we wait until you're all healed, and you get used to your surroundings, before we get too carried away." Kelly put her hand on her hip and smiled at Samus.

Samus stretched and yawned. "Ok." it had been a long devastating day for Samus, she was once again exhausted, from all the wondering and training she had done.

"Sleepy?" Kelly leaned down to Samus's level.

"I'm not sleepy..." Samus refused to admit it, and put on a bright smile, as a cover up. But her droopy eyes, and limbs gave her away. Kelly smiled, it was no use lying to Spartans who could read anyones body language like a picture book. Even though a tired child was a simple read for just about anyone.

"Have you talked to the Captain, or Admiral about her, sleeping arangments or, where she is staying?" Fred leaned towards Chief.

The thought had never even crossed his mind. "Well no..." Just as John was trying to speak, the Captain walked in.

"I thought I'd find you guys here." All Spartans immediately stood at attention, and saluted the commanding officer. Samus was confused at the sudden change of mood, as soon as the captain had entered. Seeing how the team was standing perfectly straight, and still, she thought she'd do the same. And attempted to copy them, and stand at attention. Chief seeing her attempt out of the corner of his eye. Couldn't help but admire Samus's attempt to copy, and do the same as them.

"At ease, blue team." The team complied and relaxed, Samus was still standing at an attempted attention.

"Relax." Chief nudged Samus's arm. Samus did as she was told, and went back to standing at her usual stance.

"So have we gotten anymore info from our new, little, guest?" Lasky gestured at Samus. Samus being shy once more, hid herself behind Chief.

"It's alright, the Captain dosn't bite." Kelly pulled Samus out, to Master Chief's side.

Being to tired, she didn't argue and stood beside Chief, clutching the Spartans arm for safety. John didn't seemed bothered by it, as he wasnt currently using his arm at the moment. "Just a bit of background, and some information on how her suit works, sir." Chief replied with Linda.

As the team babbled on about stuff to Captain Lasky, Samus began to doze in and out of sleep. Tiredly leaning against Chief side, she waited for he boring talk to stop. So she go back to talking with the team. They seemed to only get really boring when someone else came in, espacially when someone important came in.

"Sir, we were wondering about a place for her to sleep, where would that be?" Master Chief finally asked, before the Captain was about to leave.

By the time Lasky answered, Samus's was loosing the battle to keep her eyes open, she was now, practically hugging Chief's arm. "Hmm, I would have to check the ships data to see if there's any available rooms, that and we are currently trying to find an appropriate caregiver for the child. But for now, I suggest keeping her close, I'm sure one of you could sacrafice, and allow the child to bunk with you?" Lasky made his way to the exit, and the team saluted. "I'll let you guys decide on that one." Lasky exited the room.

The team all exchanged looks with eachother. Chief didn't seem to care at their reaction, he was reacting in his mind at the moment, he was having mixed feeling about the thought. And came up with the conclusion that one of the ladies could take the girl, they would know what's best for Samus. "I say we let the kid choose." Fred suggested, knocking John out of his thought's.

"I agree." Linda nodded.

"Me too, and I think she's already chosen." Kelly gestured, to the practically slumbering little girl, hanging onto John's arm. "And a good choice it is."

John sighed, he honestly wanted one of the girls to take Samus. They would know how to deal with a little girl, better than he would. They had better protective instincts for a child. "If it helps we can all take turns John. But you're up first." Kelly responded to the sighs.

"I can just give her my room, and I'll go into cryo, until the next mission comes up." Chief suggested.

Kelly shook her head. "John, if you don't recall, I'm pretty sure we were assigned, to be guardians of this little one right here, until otherwise. I count that as a mission, don't try too avoid this."

"I'm not avoiding..." he sighed in defeat. "You're right Kelly, we were assigned a mission, I shall see it through." Chief addmited the female was correct. He then shifted his position, to a more comfortable stance, causing Samus to open her exhausted eyes.

Samus gave another fight, to keep her eyes open, before being lifted up. With her tired blue mixed eyes, she stared into a golden orange visor.

Chief had lifted the little girl with ease, he almost sent her through the ceiling because she was so light, but luckily relaxed his muscles, and stopped himself from doing so. As he held her out infront of him, Samus gave another small yawn. The yawn apparently couldn't help but creep a small smile onto John's face. He was glad he had his helmet on, although the situation didn't seem as big of a deal, when he looked to see his team with the same smiles. Chief then closed the space between him and Samus, bringing her limp form to rest on his chest.

Samus instictively wrapped her arms around the Spartans neck once more. And didn't take long, before she easily relaxed into a peaceful slumber. Kelly smiled. "Aw she likes you." she couldn't help but coo.

"...I know..." Chief sighed heavily in reply to the comment, making his way to the exit.

"Hey don't think of it as a bad thing Chief. At least someone like's you, for you. And not for what you've done." Fred mentioned.

The words had stopped Chief in the middle of his stride, he stood silent at the exit, for a brief moment. "You should all get some rest." John said, before exiting the range safety room, with Samus in his arms.

Chapter 2 Part 2: Haunting Nightmares.

Fred was right. Beside's his team, Halsey and Mendez, no one had ever liked him for who himself. Which actually made him a bit confused. He was silent, boring, and showed no emotions what so ever. How could a child possibly like something like that? Although the kid somehow had been bringing all of those things out of him somehow. But still Fred's words were true, Samus liked him for him, not because of his legendary background.

Entering his quarters he sighed, placing Samus on a large chair in the room. He began to take his armour off, taking his helmet off first. He placed it on the chair, next to Samus, and continued to take the heavy gear off. By the time he was done, now standing only in his jumpsuit. He turned around to grab his helmet, so he could place it on the table next to his berth. But instead, he saw Samus curled up in a ball with his helmet. As if it were a teddy bear. Chief's OCD kicked in, he always put his helmet on the table, so it was a quick grab incase of an emergency. And it being snuggled by a little girl, was not about to stop him from putting it in it's usual spot on the table.

Slowly, ever so carefully, Chief pried his helmet from the little arms, it felt like he was defusing a very sensitive bomb. Successfully taking the helmet, he placed it on the table, where it belonged, and spun back around. "Chief, you going to night to?" a tired young voice spoke. Chief stared at the child across from him, she was tiredly rubbing her eyes. "Going to night?" He could only imagine she meant, going to bed. Those tired blue eyes were now staring at him, waiting for an answer.

He noticed Samus didn't seem to be alarmed at all, that he was out of his armour, or the fact that he was extremly pale in colour. She even knew who he was, she didn't even question who the pale man infront of her was. Given the fact, she had never seen him out of armour, until now.

John slowly sat himself down on his berth, across from Samus. "Yes Samus, I am..." It had been a while since he had slept in a berth, instead of a cryo tube.

"Ok." Samus settled herself in the chair and sighed, slowly falling asleep. To Chief the position she was in looked most uncomfortable. But to a kid, or someone who could turn into a ball, he figured it didn't really bother the girl.

Chief laid himself down, staring at the grey ceiling. He closed his eyes, thinking about the changes he went through since Samus arrived. He had been more talkative, and had shown more emotion. But Chief knew he wasn't the only one, his team was also feeling the same effects. Soon John lost his deep thoughts, in a cloud of sleep.

Standing infront of an army of Space Pirates, smoke, and ash lingering in the background. When the smoke cleared, a large dragon like figure appeared clenched in it's talons were the bloody, shredded, bodies of Rodney Aran and Virginia Aran. With a deafening, bone chilling, screech from the dragon, it tossed the bodies into the burning ground below. Where a tiny little toddler stood crying, the splatter of blood that came from the dropped boddies, painted the child, from head too toe. With a quick flash Samus was suddenly in her suit at the training field on Zebes. Covenant carriers flew over head, while the multi raced army charged on the ground. Slicing through the native Chozo's, an energy sword from a Zealot sliced the head off of grey voice, like a hot knife through butter. While another Zealot pierced a sword through Old Birds back, blood spurting up through his chest. The Elite tossed the body infront of two Hunters, who did not seem to care where they stepped, effectively crushing the bird like alien. The crunch of bones echoed through Samus, taking her attention away from the charging gun on the carrier above. Finally hearing the hissing charge of the large weapon, Samus looked up to see a large ray of death, and destruction soring down at her.

In a panicked gasp, Samus fell off the chair onto the floor. Her heart beat was racing, tears begining to fill her eyes, she jumped to her feet, rushing to the side of Chief's berth. "Chief!" Samus choked through tears, shaking the large muscular arm hanging off the side of the berth.

Chief jolted himself awake, sitting straight up, in a panic he grabbed the combat knife under his pillow. Turning to see his waker, he saw nothing but his door. Hearing heavy sobbing, Chief looked down to see a small, upset, girl in a blue jumpsuit. Chief, lowered his weapon, and stared at her for a few moments. Why was she crying? Was she hurt again? Did she fall of the chair, and hurt her head?

"Chief! Ri... Ridely... beated... my parents and... threw... the bodies at me... an... and... then... the bad covaments aliens... stabbed... Old Bird... an... Grey Voice!" choked out, tears beginning to pour down her face like a waterfall.

A nightmare, of course. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He sighed, scratching the back of his head, he hadn't been in this situation before. Chief thought to himself, they never got training on how to deal with youth. Yet again, being assigned to look after a child was probably never on the list, in the Spartan training program. He decided to go by his instincts, instead of making something up on the spot. He attempted to dig deep, down, inside his core of solitude, for whatever nurturing, nature he had. He hoped his instincts would have the right answer.

"It's ok now." Picking Samus up, he placed her on his lap. Samus still sobbing, pressed herself against the toned chest, and closed her eyes. "You had a bad dream, that's all..." Chief said the words, but didn't believe them. He knew very well, the nightmare was based off of what really had happened, maybe just a little more extreme if that was possible.

"Bu... but I couldn't protect them!" Samus, clutched the Spartans arm, and cried louder.

Chief winced at the added volume Samus gave when she wailed. Kelly was on one side of the wall and Linda on the other, and the last thing Chief wanted to do, was wake those Spartans up.

"Ok... shhh" Chief put his hand on the back of her head. "Samus, you were, three, unprepared, and untrained, you couldn't do anything." Chief told Samus the truth.

"I should have though!" Samus, looked up with tear filled eyes.

"Samus you couldn't have. Look if you continue your training, you will grow stronger and grow past this, and eventually take down the ones who brought you this grief. You can rise up above this, and help put and end to this missary those evil forces have caused, across the universe." Chief spoke clear and sternly. Hoping he didn't push the wrong buttons of the emotional rollercoaster, that was flying down the tracks. But the sobbing had quieted, his short little speech seemed to have calmed Samus down.

Samus looked at the floor, then looked back up at the pale man holding her. "I'm never going home am I?" Chief gazed up at his door across the room, as if it had an answer written on it.

"No..." His answer had no emotion. But was understood by a few more silent tears.

"Where am I going to live now?" She had lost two homes, and had no idea where she would end up next. She would be lucky if she ended up floating through space, on a peice of space junk.

Chief thought about what she had asked. It also brought back the last conversation the Captain had with his team. Lasky had said they were searching for a caregiver for Samus. Who in the right mind, would suit the caregiving position for a child that's a lethal, fully equipped, human/alien hybrid? He almost Chuckled.

"Well, I don't know. But you are welcome to stay with me and the team until we figure something out." Chief reassured, once again with that unusual behaviour. He even looked down, smiling at Samus.

"Chief, you're the awesomest!" Samus hugged the Spartan, to his surprise.

"Alright, you think we can get some rest now?" Chief lifted Samus, walking back to the large chair.

Samus nodded, as the Spartan laid her down on the chair. Once again her droopy eyes begun winning the battle of sleep once more. Chief smiled, turning back to his own berth he stopped for a moment.

Samus then shifted her position, as a warm fuzzy blanket covered her small form.

Morning

Chief sleeping soundly without a blanket, currently faced the wall in his slumber. Making him oblivious to his helmet being slid of the table next to him.

A poke in the back made him groan, his eyes kept shut as he rolled over, his back facing the wall. Another poke, this time to his forehead, made him open his eyes slowly. After his sleepy eyes cleared of fog, he met face to face with his helmet.

"Morning!"

Chief gasped, visibly jumping, hitting the back wall.

"You have a big head!" the familiar muffled voice of a young girl, came from under the helmet.

"Samus... you..." Chief rolled his eyes, taking his helmet off the girl.

He stared wide eyed, at the frizzy, blonde hair sticking up on end, once he took the helmet off the giggling girl. He had practically pulled a knife on her last night, and now she had the nerve to surprise him in the morning? She was either crazy, or just liked to push buttons.

Shaking his head, he suggested. "Samus, why don't you go see if Kelly is up?" if Chief wanted to teach Samus about pushing to many buttons, Kelly would be a good hard teacher for that. "She's the room on the right, right beside us."

"Ok!" Samus quickly bounded out the room, knocking on Kelly's door.

"Who's there?" a sigh, from the other side of the door.

"Me!" Samus replied.

"Who the hell is me... kid?" a confused voice, recognized the youthful one. "Uh, come on in." Samus obliged and entered. Kelly was finishing doing her brunet hair, up in the mirror, when she turned around to see the long, frizzy, blonde mess of Samus's. "What the hell, did you get zapped by something?" Kelly quirked an eyebrow.

"Nope, had Chief's helmet on." Samus repleid, balancing on her toes. Kelly chuckled at the thought of Samus's small body, with that large helmet that John has.

As Samus played with her own hair, blowing the long strands out of her face. The frizzy, mess was begining to annoy Kelly. She looked over her shoulder, at the table her mirror rested on, and saw one red hair tie. 'Good enough' she thought grabbing it, and a hair brush. "Kid, come here." Kelly ordered politely. Samus bounced, Kelly wasn't surprised, and expected that she would. "Stand infront of me, turn and stare at the door." Kelly directed, and Samus complied.

Samus was patient, while Kelly quickly brushed her long hair. Samus winced everytime the Spartan found a tangle. Then suddenly, after a few abrupt moves, they were done. "There, that looks better." Kelly smiled at the long, pony tail she gave Samus.

Samus stood on her toes, to attempt to look in the mirror, at her hair. Kelly saw this, and took the mirror, holding it infront of the child, so Samus may see her newly, done up hair. "Thank you kelly!" Samus thanked Kelly with a hug.

"Alright kid. Why don't you save that cute, cuddly, touchy, feely crap, for someone who's, big and cuddly. You know, like Chief is." Kelly pryed Samus off, and lead her back to John's room.

"Chief, Chief! Look what Kelly did!" Samus bounded over to the Spartan, who was suiting up.

"Kelly did your hair, well then..." Chief quirked an eyebrow at the tall lady in the doorway.

"Yeah so what. I can't believe you let her out looking like that?" Kelly scoffed.

"She's a child Kelly, her hair is going to end up like that anyway." Chief secured his chest plate armour.

"Easy for you to say..." Kelly muttered, stepping into the room.

Samus bounced onto the chair she slept on, grabbing the blanket, she bounced to the bed. And began neatly making the bed.

As the hiss of Chief's helmet locking into place came, he watched Samus make his bed. Then a question from Kelly, turned his attention. "So who are you dropping the kid off on today?"


	3. Chapter 3

**To my readers, again this story is not based on any actual facts to do with the characters. I write with comedy, so if they all seem like a bunch of clowns, that's just my style. This is Family and Humour after all. I have created my own version of these beloved characters. So if the character, time, or abilities, don't sound similiar to the original, it is because they are fan based, recreated if you will. And if I do actually put in original points, they are pretty small. So as an example, think of the characters in this story as my own OC Charaters based on what seems out of place, compared to original based. You have been warned about the story and author. Read it, or move on to another story that may catch your interest, there are a lot of wonderful authors out there. And just remember this is Fanfiction, not storyboard wrighters that have the rights to the original bases. Happy readings enjoy!**

Chapter 3 Part 1: Blood shed, and sharp objects.

* * *

"Sir." with a salute, Master chief started off his morning, by reporting to the bridge, for a follow up on the current situation. He had made his way to the bride with little delay, as Samus had fully recovered, and was quick to catch onto his pace. But speaking with superiors, he had left the girl outside the bridge door, thinking nothing of it, he figured Samus wouldn't get herself into to much trouble.

"Master Chief, good morning. I hope you rested well? I had heard you decided to let the kid bunk with you?" Lasky greeted the spartan, with a datapad in hand. "So how is our guest doing, Master Chief?"

"Well sir, she has fully recovered from injuries, and is doing quite, healthly. Though I do believe her mental state may be of opposite, sir." Chief gave his honest answer, and opinion, which sounded funny coming from him, as his mental state deep down was no better then the girls PTSD.

"We figured that would be the case, we recomended therapy sessions for the young one, but getting her to agree to it, would probably be another story." Lord Hood sighed.

Chief agreed with the officer, getting Samus to agree to attend a therapy session, would probably be, near impossible, judging by her attitude, and her way around strangers, it would be a difficult task indeed.

While Chief was doing boring stuff, with the important people. Samus was bored out of her mind, standing outside the bridge door, Samus paced back and forth impatiently.

"Hey little girl, you lost?" the voice startled her, and in a flash she activated her suit, whirling around, she aiming her cannon at the owner of that voice. A marine wearing a black jumpsuit, and a group of his friends stood infront of her, out of instinct they to drew their weapons, aiming them at the armoured girl. "A little over dramatic? Ah, you must be that girl the spartans are babysitting, the one they saved from that wierd, alien, planet."

'what did they mean by babysitting?' Samus wasnt in the boat, of, trust, with these advanced marines, switching her aim at each one in the group constantly. It wasnt necessary but felt safer being on guard. "You seem like trouble to me. You caused the spartans quite a bit of trouble, on the mission on that planet, and almost got Chief killed, and the rest of the people that came to rescue you." A female stepped forward, and Samus locked onto her with her cannon. Wait, Samus recognized the voice, it sounded like that pilot that was yelling at them to hurry up, when the bad aliens were about to, as they said, 'glass the planet.' "You're going to shoot me, go ahead. Then you will be a threat, and off this ship, floating in the middle of no where, if they don't exacute you first, for such actions." the female hissed. Exacution seemed highly unlikely. Though still, Samus slowly, and warily, lowered her weapon, earning laughs from the whole group. She scowled under her combat visor, 'who were these people, and what did they want?'

"Nice suit of armour you got there. With that armour, I'm guessing you're all ready for Halloween?" the male soldier began to speak, insulting her once more, he approached tapping her shoulder plate. Samus moved her shoulder away, and focused her attention on the male once more. She was irritated, and tired of this sillyness, waiting for her chance to strike. "And a gun attatched to your arm, that must slow you down." the marine slowly lifted the cannon, twisting her arm backwards, intentionally, to cause the girl pain. Samus took that as her moment to strike. She quickly ripped the cannon from the marine, and punched him hard in the chest with her other arm, cracking a few ribs by the sound of it. clubbing him in the back of the head with her cannon. The male soldier coughed blood and wheezed for air. Acting on impulse, Samus had unintentionally caused more harm then intended. Knowing her actions were over reactive, and lethal.

"Punctured lung, fractured neck, possible fractured skull, and internal bleeding! Don't move him, get a medic quick!" the female ordered, immediately after the blow. Samus went numb, not knowing her own strength, she didn't mean to inflict that much harm to the soldier. She took a step forward to help, but instead was attacked.

"Why you little shit!" the group acted, two other males pinned the girl by her shoulders against the door.

"What was that?" Lord Hood asked, as he, Lasky, and Chief turned their attention to the door.

Lasky quickly pulled up the surveillance footage of the outside door, getting a good look at a bunch of ODST's picking a fight with an armoured little girl. "Sir, look!" Lasky quickly revealed what was going on, to Lord Hood, and Chief. Chief didn't wait for permission to be dismissed, he took action and stormed towards that door.

Just as she was getting herself out of trouble, the door opened, and Kelly and the rest of Blue Team rounded the corner. "The hell?!" Kelly and the others didn't hesitate to rush over.

With one swift move Samus kicked both men in the chest, sending them back into the other soldiers, and sending her flying back into Chief, who was coming through the door. Samus gazed up at the spartan who caught her, he looked beyond the girl, and saw two men being pinned against the wall by Kelly and Fred. While Linda with rifle in hand, intimidatingly stood over the three men on the ground, clenching their chests in pain. Lord Hood and Lasky were just a moments behind Chief.

"What on Earth is going on here?!" Blue Team didn't flinch, as Lord Hood's unpleased voice boomed. "We are supposed to protect the innocent, not pick a fight with them!" at that, the medical officers arrived, and went to work, on the bloody, bearly audile wheezing, ODST.

Chief stood Samus up, Samus went to move closer to the badly injured male soldier, but was pulled back by Chief, who held tightly onto her shoulders. "Sir with all do respect, this "innocent" injured three of my teammates, seriously injuring one of them." the female soldier, had no problem speaking without permission. "I don't think this child is as innocent as we thi..."

"Enough! Get your men out of here, and report to me immediately after doing so!" Hood growled at the female. The female complied with no further words. And once the spartans released her men, she escorted her team out of the halls. As medical, rushed the critically injured ODST to the med bay.

"As for you, we would like to speak with you miss Aran." Lord Hood almost had no emotion to that order, but Samus could sense anger in Hoods tone. Lord Hood and Lasky reentered the bridge, leaving Samus and the spartans behind. Samus slowly began to follow before stopping, and looking back at the team for an answer.

Chief stood silently, and gestured with his head, for Samus to continue to the bridge. With an unhappy sigh, Samus complied, and soon was behind closed doors.

"The nerve of those..." Linda mumbled.

"Damn Helljumpers got nothing better to do, then to pick on someone who dosen't know any better?!" Kelly scoffed.

"Seems that's the case." Fred scoffed.

"I'm glad the kid beat the shit out of them, they deserve it!" Kelly continued.

"No one deserves a punctured lung, a fractured skull and neck, or cracked ribs." Chief's baratone voice spoke sternly. The memories of the incident between him and five of the ODST's in an unplaned sparring match, replayed in his head. He didn't mean to kill those ODST's, he was just a kid, learning his new abilities. And the ODST soldiers were just barking up the wrong tree, just like the group of ODST's had with Samus. He was just thankful nothing ended in tragedy, hoping the one ODST Samus had injured quite critically, was stable and recovering.

"There's two sides to every story John. You know that." Kelly turned leaving with Linda.

Kelly couldn't be more right, and at that moment, Chief wondered if Samus was giving a meaningful argument, to her side of the story. The spartan also hoped the commanders understood her broken youthful vocabulary.

"Now Miss Aran, I know you are not quite fond on speaking to us, now especially, under the current circumstances. But we do require some answers, so we may acquire the proper care, and discipline to the right people, that attended the current event." Hood tried to explain simply.

Samus, still hiding behind her combat visor, unwillingly nodded that she understood, the man in white.

"Excellent, let us begin then." Hood nodded at Lasky, and the Captain began to tap his datapad. "Now Miss Aran the..."

"Samus." A young, quite, voice interrupted the officer.

"We formally address our marines, and other Naval members by their last names, and or by their rank." Lord Hood simply replied.

"Do I have a rank?" the innocence in her voice earned herself, a sigh, from both men.

"Miss Aran we are getting off the subject. You took down three ODST members correct?" Hood changed the subject.

"What's ODST?"

"You took three men down?" Lord Hood mentally kicked himself, giving himself a reminder, to keep his formalities, to a minimum with the unknowing child. Samus replied with a silent nod. "And was that out of self defence, or random act of violence?"

Samus paused at that question. She was the first one to throw the punch, and stick a gun in their faces, but was it out of self defence? The team of soldiers were threatening her, and not respecting her personal space, grabbing hold of her arm, and twisting it in a threatening manner, it hurt when the man did so, and so she reacted. Then everything blew up from there, they attacked her and she defended. The most puzzling question was, were they a threat or not?

"Miss Aran?"

The old mans voice brought her out of her thoughts. "I... I don't know..." she knew it was a stupid answer, but shrugged it off. It was all that came to mind.

"Miss Aran, we need a clearer answer than that, please elaborate. Did you, or did you not, throw, the first, punch?" Hood spoke in a stern, almost irritated tone.

Samus wanted to answer yes, but didn't want to get into trouble. And did it count, if the male soldier was hurting her, before she attacked. She was searching for answers, but no one was there to help her. She wanted Chief, his pressance just made her feel more confident. And even though, if she looked to him for an answer, he would nod silently at her, it would be enough to give her one. "I did, but the SOB soldier, was hurting my arm."

"ODST." Lasky saw Hood's eyes widen, and quickly corrected, uderstanding the childs acronym mistake.

"So he attacked you first, how did this all begin exactly?" Lord Hood continued his questioning.

"I was waiting for Chief, and they came up, and started being mean." Samus gave a short youthful answer.

"Ok, Miss Aran, you do know you severly injured two men, and critically injured another?"

"I didn't mean to hurt them, I just wanted them to go away." Samus's tone was apologetic, yet frightened.

"Who is still outside the door Captain Lasky?"

Captain Lasky pulled up the footage of the door, on his datapad. "Master Chief, and Spartan 104, sir."

"Send them in." Hood replied with no emotion.

The mood had changed, Samus was uneasy, but at least Chief was coming in, 'That was a good sign right?'

Seconds later the door opened and two large spartans entered. Stopping at attention, one on each side of the child in armour. "Sir." both spartans awaited orders.

"Spartan 104 take the child, and occupy her, while we speak with Master Chief. You are dismissed." Hood gave his orders, and Fred complied.

"Yes sir." Fred did a, swift, about turn, and waited for Samus to do the same, so he may escort her.

Samus was hesitant, and did not want to leave Chief's side, looking up at him she heard a faint "Go." come from the Chief.

With a sigh she nodded, and attempted to do the same about turn as Fred had, but lost balance. Fred steadied Samus, and formly escorted her out of the bridge.

Fred lead Samus down the cooridors, getting odd, curious, looks, from the passing soldiers. Samus just sighed with her query. "Fred, why does eveyone look at me like that?"

"Why does, everyone look at you like that?" Fred replied, with little emotion. "Probably because, you're just a little differen't, that's all." Fred shrugged, entering the sparring gym.

"Why am I differen't, I'm human to?" Samus hopped in the room.

"Trust me kid, you get used to it, not a lot of people, around here see us as humans." Fred scoffed, stripping his armour down, into his jumpsuit.

"Why?" Samus deactivated her armour and followed the spartan to the mats.

"Well, because... aren't you part alien anyway?" Fred snapped, changing the subject.

"So dosen't mean I'm not human!" Samus hissed.

"Moving on..." Fred sighed, standing on the mats.

"What are we doing Fred?"

"Well, I saw you take those two men out, so I figured you're pretty good, at hand to hand combat. I thought we could spar a bit, and see how strong you really are." Fred explained what was going on.

"Ok!" Samus spiritedly, bounded onto the mats, earning a head shake, and sigh.

"Ok you know the basics of sparing right, it's a friendly match, not trying to kill ok?" Fred started explaining, as Samus bounced, up, and down, on the spot.

"Ok!"

"Stop bouncing."

Samus stopped her bouncing, and stood still, kind of. She began bouncing on her toes.

"Can you not stay still for more than five seconds?!" Fred held Samus down by her shoulders. The spartan was getting irritated, it was like dealing with a hot blooded horse, always on their toes. Slowly he released Samus, and waited a couple of seconds. "God dammit kid!" it took only two seconds for her to begin bouncing once more. "Screw it, lets just spar." Fred threw his arms up in defeat.

Lord Hood turned back to the spartan after answering a call. "Master Chief under the current situation, do you know how much damage Aran has caused to herself, already? If we are to keep this child, she must set a good reputation. That was the medical officer two ODST's have broken ribs, and the critically injured ODST, is now deceased, due to heavy internal damage. Do you understand, what I am saying Master Chief?"

"Yes sir, I understand, but she was defending herself." Chief replied, knowing his reply was not the answer they were looking for, excuses were not a usual part of him.

"She killed someone. Self defence, or not, Master Chief, an unnecessary murder, is unacceptable." Lord Hood replied.

"Sir, Samus did not intentionally, murder that ODST. She dosen't know her own strength." Chief argued.,

"Then you, better figure out what her strengths are, and how much she has. Use training simulations, and your fellow spartans, I don't want anymore casualties. Remember for now she is your responsibility, until otherwise. And finding someone to care for a lethal child is going to be harder now. She will not go unpunished for this, understood?" Hood ordered.

"Yes sir, understood. We will run the tests, and bring back the results." Chief replied, with no arguing.

"I will, be waiting for them. You're dismissed."

Chief left the bridge with a deep exhale. Now it was time to find Samus. Fred had taken her, so he imagined she was in the sparring gym.

The training had been going well, Samus had excelled in hand to hand. "Ok remeber, you wont have any armour on, when you pull your knife into a fight. So you want to get as many hits in as you can with out taking any damage, from your foe. Lets go again." Fred pulled out a practice combat knife. "Change your grip to. If you grip to tight you'll lose blood flow faster, and strain muscles while your stabbing. No need to have a white knuckle grip, on the knife. You need to loosen up, not to the point where it falls out of your hand, but enough to be equal, to an easy, but hard grip. Lets start." Fred adjusted Samus's hand with her practice knife.

Throwing her to the ground, Fred quickly went to finish the attack, but was throw off by a kick to the chest. Samus quickly rolled out of the way, lept up to her feet, getting Fred in the back with her knife.

"Excellent kid, ok, these are still pointy, and sharp." Fred moved Samus's knife hand, from his back.

"Fred, John wants the kid back. He'll be at the gym in ten." Kelly entered the gym.

"Sure Kelly. Here kid take this, just something to defend yourself when you don't have your arm gun." Fred gave a Samus a large combat knife. "Now just strap this to your leg, and you'll be combat ready." Fred helped equip Samus with the knife.

"Thank you Fred." Samus thanked the spartan, as she admired her new knife.

"Oh good, give the kid something sharp and pointy. What's John going to say about that?" Kelly approached the two.

"Hey where's your armour? And it's just a Knife Kelly, it's not like I'm handing her a grenade." Fred shrugged.

"In my quarters, and a grenade would be safer. It would take longer for her to pull the pin, then to cut her self with an unsheathed blade.

"Shut the hell up Kelly. There's Chief."

"Stay here for a sec kid." Kelly and Fred quickly made their way over to their leader.

"So what happened, what's going on with the kid?" Kelly was the first to ask.

"One casualty, two injured. So far no listed consequences." John reported.

"Shit, that's going to get around fast, knowing the ODST's and their big, "poor me" mouths." Kelly gave a frustrated sigh.

"No listed punishment, is either good, or bad." Fred shook his head, as he placed his armour back on.

"The Admiral has asked us, to run intensive testing on Samus to see what she is, fully capable of, exactly. We are to report the test results, directly to the Captain and Admiral." Chief gave a brief explination, of what was going to happen.

"Intensive testing, that's always fun..." Kelly leaving the gym, with Chief and Fred, leaving Samus, still standing on the mats, as she was told to do.

"Intense training hmmm? Make sure our team, is volunteered. We will get that little brat, for murdering our teammate." The ODST female from earlier, was close by, and listening with her remaining team.

"You positive, we want to sign up for that, Bree? That brat, did kill Brodey, and injured James, and Henderson." a male ODST, next to her questioned.

"Jablonsky, if you are questioning my orders, I will happilly, throw you to the wolves, and their new, killer, pup?" Bree threatened her squad member. ODST's refered to the Spartans as wolves, seeing the super soldiers, as silent, unseen, lethal, hunters, that take prey down quickly, and efficiently, and are a force to be reckoned. The ODST's used to be at the top of the UNSC, until the Spartans arrived, the growing increase of jealousy, had not faded, and niether has the rivalry.

"No ma'am, I will see as to, that we be the available volunteers." Jablonsky made no further agruments, and left willingly.

Bree watched Jablonsky leave, then focused her attention, on the single child, standing alone, and vulnerable.

Samus waited patiently, unsure, of why all three spartans left unexplained. She didn't want to believe they forgot about her, but they seemed otherwise occupied, so it wasn't that much of a bother to her.

It then, finally hit Chief. "Samus!" turning on a dime, he jogged back to the gym.

"We forgot the kid!?" Fred in tow, mentally slapped himself.

"What the hell is wrong with us!?" Kelly followed the two.

"Nice of them to leave you, unexpectedly, huh?" Samus spun around, recognizing the female voice. "Just like how unexpected, it was, that Brodey lost his life today." Samus's eyes widened. "Oh, Chief didn't tell you? Yeah you murdered my teammate. I hope, that wieghs heavy on your conscious, two injured, one killed. Let that echo in your empty head, for a bit. See you on the training field." The venomous tone, of Bree's voice sickened Samus to her core. Bree met Chief, and the Spartan team, at the door, staring into the golden, orange, visor. Chief brushed past her, Fred followed closely, while Kelly, gave a threatening glare, as she pushed by. Bree returned the glare, leaving quickly, leaving the Spartans to reunite with the child.

Samus was silent, as Chief had approached her. Keeping her eyes, fixed on the door. Samus gave a small, jump, when a barritone voice spoke. "Samus, come on." Chief gestured her, to take a step forward. Samus kept silent, and approached the Chief.

Placing a hand on her back, Chief escorted, Samus with Fred, Kelly in tow. Chief looked down seeing a combat knife, strapped to Samus's thigh. "Fred, what is that?" Chief stopped Samus, gesturing to the large knife.

"Just some protection, when no other weapons, are available." Fred shrugged.

"Oh it's so great, the blade is the almost the size of her leg. But it's totally safe!"

"Kelly be quiet. Fred don't make excuses." Chief wasnt upset, he kept a calm tone, he almost made a sarcastic tone.

"The kids an ace, in hand to hand, add the knife and she's a ki..."

"Chief, can we go?" Samus tugged on Chief's hand, interrupting Fred.

Confused by the sudden uneasy behaviour, of the child, all three spartans, exchanged looks, reading something was wrong. "Sure Samus, of coarse." Chief continued his escort, down the cooridor, to his quarters. A few awkward moments of silence passed as they all closed in near Chief's room.

"What did that bitch ODST, say to you?" Kelly outburst.

"Straight to the point." Fred threw his head down.

"Kelly, Fred, enough! Get in here." Chief pulled the team, and Samus into his room. "Kelly your escalating, stop." Chief cornered Kelly, and Fred.

"That stupid bitch ODST is trying to..."

"Stand down, this is a situation to be settled by the Admiral. Not our call Kelly, the only way to settle this, is to do as we are ordered, levitating the situation isn't going to help us. Am I clear?" John carried, his serious stern tone.

Kelly could feel Chief's eyes burning through her, she stared directly back, and replied. "Understood, John."

"Chief, I wanna go home!" the childs cry, struck the core of the Spartan leader. Reminding him of the cries, from the other childeren, in the begining of Spartan training, crying to go home.

"Kid you're... It's not safe at home." Kelly was the first to react.

"I want to go home..." Samus shook her head.

"Samus your home is gone, you stay with us now. You're just upset, you need to calm yourself." Chief gave no emotion, as he approached.

"I killed him..." Samus exhaled. "He's dead..." she choked, looking up at the approaching Spartan.

"Yes. Unfortunetly, he suffered from internal injuries, and could not be saved. You ingaged, neutralized, and terminated, the threat." John replied codly.

"John!" Kelly warned.

Chief held up a hand, and silenced Kelly. "Samus you protected yourself, just use a little less lethal strength. You're confused, and don't know your own strength." John kneeled, to be level with the child.

"Bu..bu... I... killed... him..." Samus refused, to let her guilt melt away.

"You're tired, you've had a long day. So rest." Chief sighed, standing once more.

"It's the afternoon." Fred mentioned, as Chief placed Samus in the large chair, she had been currently sleeping in, for the time being.

"She can take a nap then." Chief replied.

"Do ten year olds take naps?" Fred looked at Kelly, for an answer.

"How the hell, should I know. Do I look like a mother with kids?" Kelly scoffed.

"You a mother? You seem more like the type, that would eat their kids, you know like sharks do." Fred simply replied.

"You calling me a shark, smart ass?" Kelly punched Fred in the chest.

Chief took a deep sigh, and tuned the two out. Focusing back on Samus, who curled up into a ball, on the chair. "You take naps right?" Chief felt like an imbecile, as he didn't know any better, then his bickering teammates.

Samus simply, shook, her sad head. Tears still rolling down her cheeks, from tired eyes.

"I didn't think so..." Chief looked away. "But you do look tired, you don't want to try to sleep?" he turned his head, back to the kid.

Samus let out a deep sigh in reply. "Will you go, if I do?"

"I... I will stay, I wont leave you." Chief gave his word.

"You sure, you want to make that promise John?" Kelly warned her leader.

Chief understood what Kelly was saying. Anything could happen, and change the promise, to an empty one very quickly.

At that a knock on the door caught everyones attention. A female with red hair, in a jumpsuit, entered, the room calmly. "Are you guys coming to train sometime soon. Or are you just going to hang out here?" Linda approached the team.

"Yes we are coming, lets go." Chief began to follow his team out.

Samus watched, then rolled over, to face the wall. Chief said he would stay, why didn't he keep his promise.

John stopped in his doorway, just before he could step outside his room. And remembered, he promised a little girl he wasn't, going to leave her.

Seconds later the team realized Chief was no longer with them, Kelly was the first to notice. "Where the hell is John?"

"He was right behind us." Fred shrugged.

The team turned around, to see their leader carrying, a now slumbering child, as they imagined, wrapped around his neck.

"Aw, John you've gone soft." Kelly teased.

"No, when I make a promise, I keep it."

Chapter 3 Part 2: Lessons Before The Teaching.

"John are you going to sit, on that bench the whole time, or get up and join?" Kelly yelled across the courtyard, after pinning Fred.

"I'm currently occupied at the moment." John replied, shifting his wieght.

"Just put the kid on the bench, she won't know the difference." Fred kicked, Kelly off him.

"I have a feeling she would." John quirked an eyebrow, lifting Samus off of him placing her carefully down, on the bench.

"Finally." Linda folded her arms, as she watched Chief's actions.

"Finally decided, to stop warming the bench?" Kelly teased, as their leader approached.

"Lets just focus on sparing." Chief sighed, stopping infront of the three.

"Me to?" Chief almost jumped, at the unexpected voice behind him.

"Samus, I thougt you were napping?" Chief spun around.

"I don't take naps." Samus smiled sheepishly.

"Of course... How about you just watch for a while."

"Is that what you're going to tell her, when her intensive training begins?" Kelly folded her arms.

"Kelly why don't you take Samus, and teach her something." Chief guided Samus with his hand, infront of Kelly.

Kelly stared down, at the piercing, blue/green, eyes, gazing up at her. "Challenge excepted, John." Kelly glared at her leader.

"Come on kid, I'll teach you a good lesson." Kelly took Samus by the shoulders.

"Kelly, nothing to harsh." Chief warned.

"To harsh? She murdered a..."

Kelly was quickly interrupted by Chief. "Kelly!"

"Murdered Chief's, hard core, solitude, attitude. Yeah, you got into that soft side, good job!" Kelly teased Chief, as she escorted Samus away from the group.

"Nice save." Fred said, with little emotion.

Linda just smiled, in her mind, she agreed with Kelly.

"Kelly?" Samus leaped, to keep pace with Kelly's walk.

"What is it kid?" Kelly sighed heavily, stopping at a track, a good distance away from the others.

"Are Chief, Fred, and Linda, your brothers, and sister?" Samus tripped, over her own foot.

"Yes, you could say that." Kelly nodded, whatching the clumsy child, stumble. "So you train, with a bunch of other kids to?"

"No, just me." Samus replied, regaining her balance.

"Uhuh... anyway, you seem to run pretty fast. You have a lot of phisical strength." Kelly changed the subject.

"Yeah running is fun!" Samus replied with nod.

"Ok, but with out stamina, your speed is nothing, you know that right?"

Samus tilted her head in confusion, she had heard the word mentioned, a couple times, but never understood what it meant. "What's stab anna?"

Kelly quirked an eyebrow. "I like your, little, inventive, words, you make when mispronouncing something, kid." Kelly smiled. "But it's called stamina, Sta-mi-na. I'm taking it, you have no idea, what stamina is?"

Samus shrugged in response, gazing off in the direction of the other Spartan's. "Hey, pay attention, I'm not giving these lessons for free. Your toll for this lesson is to pay attention." Kelly snapped her fingures infront of Samus. Samus quickly fixed her look back on Kelly, and listened.

"Stamina is an ability, to sustain, prolonged, effort, when running." Kelly explained.

Samus stared blankly, blinking curiously, at the brunet female spartan.

Kelly threw her head back and sighed. "You know how a vehicle runs, on a certain amount of fuel? But if you only fill it to a certain amount, it can only go so far?" Samus didn't follow completely, but nodded. "Ok, now lets start by running, as far as we can, speed isn't the main target right now, you're pretty fast already. So we will add more, speed later."

"Ok, we go now!?" Samus hopped up and down, excitedly.

"Alright, keep up with my pace, stay next to me. Ready, go!" Kelly strode forward, getting a head start on Samus.

Samus was quick to correct, sprinting up to Kelly's side. With every one step Kelly took, Samus took four, just to keep pace.

"You have long legs kid, stretch them out some more, and use that, to cover more ground." Kelly advised.

Samus took the advice, and soon changed her step from four, to two, to keep pace.

The rest of blue team, paused their sparing to catch the glimps of the lesson. "Of course the Rabbit would be teaching the kid how to run." Fred scoffed.

"Not half bad, the kid seems to be keeping up." Linda muttered.

"They've reached the 25K pole already, Kelly's working her hard." Fred mentioned. "Probably building up the kids stamina."

Chief watched silently, hoping Kelly wouldn't push Samus, so far past her limits, that she couldn't do the training tomorrow.

After doing 45K doing another lap, Samus finally began to drop behind, finally reaching her limit, at the moment.

Kelly gazed over her shoulder, and noticed Samus lagging behind. Sighing she continued to run forward, leaving Samus to fall further behind.

Samus didn't feel like she could go any further, her legs felt like jello, yet she kept going. Samus didn't want to give up. She just no longer had the strength, to keep up.

Chief watched, as Samus struggled, to keep up with Kelly. "Damn, to bad, the kid was doing alright to." the other male spartan sighed, turning back to Linda.

Struggling, Samus decided to put her mind on something else, instead of focusing on her exhaustion. She decided that she could make a game, out of this running race. Somewhere inside of her, a rush of adrenalin, and extra energy, shot through her. Kicking herself into a high gear, she strode quickly catching Kelly. Samus thought, if she got enough speed, she would be able to leap up, grab hold of Kelly's shoulders, pull herself up, and over, making a game of leapfrog. Gaining on Kelly quick, Samus did just that. Taking large, fast, strides. As she leapt, grabbing hold of Kelly's shoulders, pulling herself up, and over, Samus landed infront of Kelly, and took off like a rocket.

Chief, whatching the scene, couldn't help but smile, under his visor. Catching Kelly off guard, with a sudden move like that, was not something just anyone, could accomplish easily.

"I don't think so Linda!" Chief turned back to his sparing teammates. "Ok Fred, get off my arm!" Linda hissed, punching the male Spartan, in the ribcage.

Standing over the two, John shook his head. "Fred, Linda, it's a friendly, sparing match. No need to break eachother." Chief sighed.

50K, Kelly was dumbfounded, by the sudden unexpecting move, speed, and stamina boost. Stopped, standing in the middle of the track, Kelly waited for Samus to circle. Putting her arm out, Samus ran straight into it, throwing her onto her back, from the sudden halt.

Samus gave an exhausted giggle. "Did I do good?" Samus smiled, at a dumbfounded Kelly.

"Yeah Kid, you did a great job. You have an interesting technique, of acomplishing things." Kelly exhaled. "Where'd you get that extra boost of energy?"

"I dunno." Samus shrugged, balancing on one leg.

"Well, lets just call it, your stamina, with an extra kick." Kelly pressed one of her fingures into Samus's shoulder.

Loosing balance, Samus quickly planted her other foot back on the ground. "Hey!" Samus giggled.

"Oops, did I do that?" Kelly playfully, nudged Samus over. "Ok, tell yeah what. First one to leap over Chief wins, ok?"

"Ok!"

"Ready, set, go!" Kelly faked her start, watching Samus sprint off with great speed.

"We know John!" Fred pinned Linda entirely.

Samus continued her charge, at a very fast rate of speed, enough to knock someone over, if someone were to get in the way. Her strides were long, but her steps were silent, being barely audible. Giving her the ultimate, element of surprise, Chief would not expect. Samus closed in on the unexpecting Spartan, at her top speed, knowing it would take alot more energy, to reach that high up. She lept clamping onto Chief's shoulders, she flew over the leader. Chief visibly jumped, as Samus flew over him. Sticking her landing directly onto Fred, who landed on Linda.

"Ok this time it's not my fault Linda." Fred looked at the angry face, beside his own.

Standing on the two Spartan pile, Samus cheered. "I win!" with her arms in the air.

"Great, now get the hell off!" Fred stood up, throwing Samus onto her ass, pretty quickly.

"Fred!" Chief was quick to help Samus up.

"You definitely, get extra points for that landing." Kelly snickered from behind, calmly approaching the team.

Linda picked herself up. "You set her up?" Linda scowled.

"And that, lady, and gentle men. Is how you divert, a childs mind from sad and depressed, to happy and playful." Kelly smirked.

"You want to take a bow to?" Fred snorted, folding his arms.

"Shut up Fred. At least I didn't give her a huge, razor, weapon." Kelly scoffed.

"Alright, enough, everyone back to their own quarters." Chief stopped the argument, before the flames were fanned. The team obeyed with no arguments, silently making their way to their rooms. Chief stopped his team infront of his door. "One moment." Chief put Samus in his room. "Stay here, while I speak with the others." Samus sighed and nodded, allowing Chief to shut the door behind him.

"What is it John?" Kelly folded her arms, impatiently.

"I'm going to speak with the Admiral for a moment. Can you three watch Samus while I do so?" Master Chief replied walking past the three.

"She's in your room, the kid can be left alone for a few, moments." Kelly waved off the order, following Chief with her eyes.

"Last time I left her, on her own, she attacked an ODST team. Just watch her for a few minutes, no arguing." Chief ended, as he continued.

"We're literally, babysitters with weapons." Kelly sighed in defeat, as she entered John's room. "Where the hell is she?" all three spartans, looked around, to see no child in site

"Boo!" Samus slid out, from under the berth, causing all spartans, to visibly jump. "Did I surprise you!?" Samus hopped to her feet.

"Yeah, you did. Dammit kid, we could have hurt you!" Linda snapped.

"Sorry, where'd Chief go?" Samus questioned, peeking around the three, to see no sign of the leader.

"He's talking with the Admiral." Fred replied.

"Oh, so what are we doing tomorrow?" Samus settled down, climbing on Chief's, perfectly made bed.

"Well you are going to go through a big test, that will test how much strength you have, and how much you, entirely, can take on." Kelly simply answered Samus's question.

"A big test? But I haven't finished training, with the Chozo." Samus shook her head.

"Look kid, the Chozo gave you strength. We can take that strength, and show you how to use it, by continuing your training. Don't be intimidated by the, big, scary, test. Just Suit up, and kick some ass." Kelly explained as smoothly, and kid friendly as possible.

"We will walk you through it. Teach you all the little hidden things." Fred added reassuringly.

Infinity Bridge.

"Spartan 117 on deck sir." Lasky alerted the occupied Admiral.

"Uh, Master Chief. I was just about to call you in." Lord Hood faced the Spartan, who greeted him with salute. "At ease Chief. I imagine you are here, wondering what the young ones penelty is, for her actions today?"

"Correct sir." Chief replied.

"Well we have come up with a fair, suitable penalty." Lord Hood nodded at Lasky.

"Samus Aran will be exiled, when she is to reach a respective emount of maturity. And is able to care, and fend for herself." Lasky listed off the charge.

"Sir please rethink the penalty. Samus will not reach such certainties, for quite some time now." Chief argued the charge.

"Chief with her growing strength, and active lethal ability. She is bound to leave with in a week, or a couple years. Unfortunately the sooner the better for the UNSC." Lasky sighed.

"Sir this is a mistake, they didn't exile me fo..."

"Master Chief." Lord Hood stopped the spartans words. "Complete her training."

"You are dismissed."

Master Chief saluted once more, doing a swift about turn, he quietly stepped out of the bridge.

"You didn't have to actually do it!" John did not know what he walked into. All that was in his vision, was a Samus laughing hysterically, Linda rolling her eyes and shaking her head. Fred on the ground holding the side of his face, and Kelly smirking, standing with her arms crossed.

"What, is going, on?" Chief stood unamused, in his doorway.

"Kelly, kicked me in the face. Because Samus dared her to kick as high as my head." Fred stood up.

"In my defence, I heard kick his head." Kelly shrugged.

"It was a dare, not a freaking order!" Fred snapped at the brunet.

"Next time wear your helmet."

"Wear my hel..."

"Get out!" Chief stepped in room, gesturing out the door.

"Good night." Linda left eagerly.

"You can get shot by an Elite, but you'll cry when a lady kicks you in the face." Kelly continued to bicker.

"Who said anything about a lady!?" Fred scoffed, following the brunet.

Chief shut the door as soon as the last foot left the doorframe. "That's quite enough excitement now." Chief took a step from the door. Recieving banging on the door like a Brute trying to tear through a wall to get to his next meal. Chief sighed turning to answer the door.

"Door!" Samus hopped off the berth.

Chief gazed over his shoulder, with a sigh. "Yes Samus, I got it..."

The impatient, person on the other side shoved the door open into Chief. It was like hitting a brick wall. The impact was unexpected, but didn't move Chief an inch. "What is it Kelly?"

"So what did Lord Hood say?"

John quickly stepped out, into the corridor joining his team, closing the door behind him. "He said complete her training."

"John that's not that bad. That's actually pretty good." Kelly shrugged.

"Then she gets exiled."

"Really? That's a little harsh isn't it... Well I don't know..." Fred bit his lower lip.

"Perhaps it's the best." Kelly's voice had no motion.

"You're saying this why?" Linda quirked an eyebrow.

"I think if we train her good enough to be a spartan..." Chief sighed.

"Chief the thought is there, but unfortunately your brain isnt. There's no way they would make her a spartan. Killing ODST's does not promote you. Especially if that ODST squad leader found out, she would lose it!" Kelly knocked on Chief's helmet.

"We will talk more tomorrow." John backed away, entering his room once more.

"You can't change the penalty John. You don't have the right too challange it." Kelly sighed deeply, as the door closed.

"Chief, can we play a game?" Samus asked, standing on the berth.

"Why are you standing on the bed?" Chief stood across the room, from the child.

"I wanted to be tall like you!" Samus bounced up and down.

"Well you are a long way from reaching this height." Chief sighed, as he approached.

"Do you think I will grow as tall as you?" Samus leapt off the bed.

"We will just have to see how tall you grow." Chief smiled behind his visor. John took a deep Exhale. "Samus."

"Chief."

"Samus."

"Chief."

"Samus!"

"Smiles!"

"Go to bed." Chief gave no emotion to his last words.

"Ok!" Samus happily leaping into the chair next to the bed.

"How are you so full of energy?" Chief yawned, as he sat on his bed.

"Energy Chief!"

"Sleep, Samus..." Chief sighed heavily as he lay down, sinking into the thin mattress.

Quickly getting lost in his thoughts, Chief wondered where Samus would go when she would be exiled. And how would he tell her she was going to be exiled? Clearing his head, he refocused on what training he was going to put Samus through. And what results Samus would bring. He also had to worry about the ODST team, they would certainly want revenge on the girl. Staring at the ceiling, lost in the cloud of stress in his head. John turned onto his side, facing the wall. He closed his eyes slipping into a stressful nights sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello readers just to let you know the story dosen't really have a set timeline, It's on it's own catagory of my random wrighting. So I suppose this odd timeline is set somewhere before the Didact is killed and before Chief goes awol. Again not really set for the purpose of the actual storyline of the games, just random crap put together pretty much lol.**

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Chapter 4 Part 1: Teens

As much as the intesive training came. The sooner the better to the Admiral. Master Chief took Captain Lasky's idea. And decided to let Samus's body mature before the official intensive testing began. As 3 years of regular training passed. The team was beginning to think Chief was stalling the exile, he had yet to tell Samus about.

Samus shifted uneasy in the chair. Before waking up to see Chief was not in his bed. Quickly turning onto her side, she caught Chief staring outside his window. Samus slid off the chair. Quietly standing behind the large spartan she asked. "What's out there Chief?" Samus gave that curious, tone. Samus wasnt just a child anymore. But a young teen growing into adulthood.

With a deep exhale, John closed his eyes, resting his head on his chest plate. "A lot of different universes, races, and galaxies." Chief gave a short answer.

"I know that Chief. I want to know what you think is out there?" Samus replied emotionless just as Chief would.

John turned, and faced the now tall, developing, teen. "I answered you."

"No you gave me the short answer. Don't short straw me." Samus quirked an eyebrow.

"Not now Samus. I'll answer you later." Chief sighed, walking passed the teen.

Samus rolled her eyes activating her suit, following her mentor to the door.

John calmly opened the door. On the other side he was greeted by his teammate. "Hi Kelly!" Samus was the first to greet the female spartan.

"Hey kid." Kelly greeted, turning a glare to the Chief. "Im just quickly going to speak with John ok?" Kelly replied, taking the other spartan off to the side.

"Sure thing, I'll go to the track." Samus nodded turning to go off down the corridor.

"Stay awa..."

"Stay away from ODST's I know Chief." Samus sighed cutting off Chief's warning.

"I know you know Samus, I want you to do..."

"Do as I say, not just listen to the words, and ignore the order. I know I know." the blonde rolled her eyes.

"You don't have your combat visor on, I can see you rolling your eyes." Chief quirked and eyebrow at the girl.

"Im sorry Chief." Samus sighed in annoyance.

"If only I thought that was sincere." John exhaled.

"You have nothing to worry about Chief. Plus Im faster then them, they would have to catch me first." Samus smirked continuing down the corridor.

"Stay away from them. That's an order!"

"Got it!" Samus gave a thumbs up as she passed the rest of the team, walking towards Chief and Kelly.

"That's yes sir, Samus Aran!" Chief stressfully put both his hands on his head.

Kelly couldn't help but chuckle at her leaders attempt at controlling a teen.

"Yes Kelly?" Chief practically growled at the brunet, as the other spartan teammates approached.

"Don't you just love teenager attitudes." Kelly smirked behind her visor. "That's the most emotion I've seen come from you in a while."

"What is the topic you are wanting to speak about Kelly?" John turned to the remarking Kelly.

"Looks like we arrived just in time." Fred stopped next to Chief.

"What are you talking about?" Chief's was beginning to get irritated.

"Oh we are just going to take a wild geuss, and say that you've said nothing at all to her, about her soon to be exiled ass." Kelly hissed at her leader.

"I will tell her." Chief replied codly.

"John you've had to talk about people who died, what's harder then that? You've had 3 years to tell her. If you don't tell her, someone else will." Kelly warned.

"Kelly is right John. You're stalling, and the situation could get ugly." Linda agreed with the other female spartan.

"It's better she finds out from one of us, rather than Lord Hood, or the captain." Fred reassured his friend.

"I'll tell her today. Her exile isn't until she completes her training." John sighed heavily, looking down the empty corridor.

"John you know she has excelled in her training with all of us, since day one. It's up to you to give her the rest of the skills you have to offer her." Kelly smiled. "She's got the big test tomorrow. Hey, we wish we could do something to change the minds of our superiors, but we can't."

John quietly lead the team down the corridor towards the track. With no further words, a heavy fog of akward silence fell on the Spartan team. Entering the track and field stadium, Chief stopped at a dead halt. His teammates didn't miss a step, halting without contacting eachother. There was only but a single marine soldier jogging around the track. No other being, besides Blue Team was in the stadium.

"Where the hell is everyone? This place is usually full." Kelly gave an irritated and confused tone.

*Where is she?* was the only thought in John's head.

"Where's the kid is more like it?" Fred gave little emotion to his sentence.

Kelly didn't hesitate to go after the single marine and get straight to the point. "Marine!" Kelly quickly sprinted up to the lone soldier.

"Yes ma'am!?" eyes wide, the soldier quickly halted, turning his attention to the female spartan that was after him.

"Where the hell is everyone?" Kelly stopped directly infront of the marine.

"At the battle field arena watching the challenge ma'am." the soldier simpley replied.

"What challenge?" a baritone voice growled from behind the soldier.

"A squad of ODST's challenged that kid." Nervously turning around the soldier replied.

With out any further words the whole spartan team vanished out the door.

"I knew it!" John unexpectedly outburst his anger. "She never listens to a single order!"

"It's called selective hearing John. It's in every teens brain!" Kelly sarcastically added.

At that Lasky came jogging down the hallway after them. "Master Chief, Spartans!"

"Sir!" Blue Team halted for of the captain, and waited impatiently.

"You are to reoprt to Lord Hood immediately." Lasky wasted no time, in turning back from where came from.

"Yes sir!" With no questions, Blue Team headed towards the bridge. Even though mentally John was pulling himself to go track down Samus.

"Chief's kid kicked their asses!"

"Chief sure trained her well." The voices of many impressed soldiers echoed in the hall, as the team passed.

Two feet up ahead, was Samus also heading towards the bridge.

"Samus!" John practically tore through the marines to get to the teen.

Samus's heart skipped, and her eyes went wide at the sound of that angered voice. "Chief! Hiiiii..." Samus gave a nervous smile beneath her visor.

"You deliberately disobeyed my orders." Chief grabbed Samus's hand, pulling her away from the crowd.

"No I listened to you. The ODST squad came to me!" Samus attempted to defended.

"You excepted their challenge. And fought them, gave into their pressure." Master Chief shook his head. If the teen wanted to argue. She picked the wrong person to argue with.

"So what, I saw it as training. After all we used the simulation paint." Samus argued.

"Wait, what?" Blue team halted off to the side.

"We used the paint on eachother. It was just capture the flag." the teen shrugged her shoulders.

John caught a glimps of movement out of the corner of his eye. Looking towards the bridge he saw four ODST soldiers, walking out of the bridge covered in paint.

"Well judging by the fact the ODST's look like a paint can fell on them. I bet you stole their flag and..!" Kelly excitedly praised the teen. Earning a glare from her leader. Kelly cleared her throat. "But uh you still didn't listen..." Kelly quickly corrected.

"Samus you know I told you to stay away from them." Chief sighed.

"But Chief I can't stay hidden away from them forever. It was just a friendly battle after all." Samus reassured her mentor.

Before John could continue aruing with the teen. Lasky stepped over to the team. "Spartan's Lord Hood is waiting for all of you." the captain gestured to the bridge entrance.

"Yes sir." Blue team respectfully replied. Making their way to the bridge.

Master Chief put both his hands on Samus's shoulders and escorted her to the bridge.

Natrually Samus resisted the escort. Digging in her heels as she complained. "Chief stop, I can walk myself!"

John ignored the complaint until they were securely inside the bridge.

Blue Team saluted the Admiral. Chief still held Samus in place, as he saluted.

"Captain would you escort this young lady outside the door for a moment?" Admiral Lood Hood calmly commanded.

"Of course sir." Lasky took Samus off Chief's hands, and escorted the teen out the door.

After the door swished quietly behind the two. Lord Hood turned his focus to Chief. "Master Chief the exile." Lord Hood paused, as Blue Team all held their breath.

Master Chief's stomach muscles tensed waiting for the words "Is in effect." to echo through the bridge.

"Is pending."

The words confused the team greately. Master Chief was more relieved then confused to hear the words.

"The penalty was just to big of a penalty for her age. It would have been a grave mistake to exile a child." Lord Hood admitted his mistake.

The team could feel the relief radiating off their leader.

"I will keep the exile on hold. Shall there be a future reason to put it into action." Lord Hood walked down the line of spartans. "However there has been recent activity with the Jul Mdama And we would like your team to investigate." the old Admiral walked back to Chief. "Captain Lasky will give you your mission briefing. Blue Team dismissed."

Blue Team saluted, and exited as a synchronized squad.

"Master Chief?" Lord Hood took the leader off to the side. "Take Aran with you. I think you could use the extra energy. It's about time she see's the real battlefield."

"But sir she's..."

"Been trained by the best. I know she has excelled, and could be a possible new asset to Blue Team." Lord Hood Reassured the worried Spartan.

Master Chief exhaled, quietly following his Team out.

"Now that you're all here. I can begin your briefing." Lasky calmly but happily, waited for the team to settle. "Your mission is at 2400hrs. Be sure you are all sharp and ready. It is a stealth mission. You are to scout and gather as much information as possible without engagging unless necessary."

"Understood sir!" Blue Team replied firmly.

"Excellent see you all at 2400." Lasky gave Samus a smile before reentering the bridge.

"Chief the Kelly, Linda, and I are going to train. You and the kid going to join us?" Fred started heading down the corridor with Linda, and Kelly.

Samus thought it was a great idea. Smiling through her visor, she slightly gazed up at Chief. He looked at her and replied. "Go we will meet you later." Samus quickly activated her combat visor. Her smile disappearing behind a wall of lime green. She quickly turned her attention the opposite directrion from her mentor.

Asking no questions Fred shrugged and followed the two other Spartan's down the corridor.

Samus held her breath. Preparing for more scolding. She wished Chief wouldn't treat like a little child still.

"Samus I am not upset at you. Just disappointed in fact you went out of your way to ignore what I said to to you." John began escorting.

"Chief running the track gets boring. It was something different, nobody got hurt. And we all had fun. Im not a little baby, I can handle myself." Samus scoffed striding past the spartan.

"You never were..." John sighed grabbing hold of the teens shoulder plate. "Samus if I can't trust you, and you are going to be difficult about this. I have no choice but to escort you everywhere." Chief put his foot down.

"That's not fair I did nothing wrong!" Samus complained. Samus felt like the black sheep of the UNSC. Not able to go anywhere, meet others, and do organized training sims with soldiers other than the spartans of Blue Team.

"We have training to do. You are coming on the mission with us." Chief ignored the protesting teens complaints.

"Finally!" Samus excitedly cheered.

The spartan threw his arm up infront of the teen. Stopping her in her tracks. "This isn't a game Samus. This is a serious, and dangerous job!" John practically snapped.

"I know that Chief. I've been waiting to go on a mission with you guys." the teen reassuredd. "That's why Ive been training so hard."

John exhaled. "I... you have been excelling in your training, yes." continuing down the corridor.

Samus followed him in his footsteps as she smiled behind her visor.

Entering the training arena. Chief looked around. There were many soldiers training, in almost every inch of the facility. At the end of the field, off in the far corner. Was Fred and Kelly battling it out on the paint simulation. Samus wasted no time walking over to the two. Leaving Chief at the enterance of the arena. "Alright there's Kelly and Fre..." John stopped mid sentence, when he turned back to where the teen last stood. Sighing Chief quickly caught up with the teen. Getting front row seats, watching the two spartans battle it out.

Samus gasped. "Chief we should verse eachoth..."

"No." John knew where the teen was going with the question.

"Come on Chief." Samus begged.

Turning to the teen. "I'm not going to verse you in a battle simulation. End of discussion." Chief gave a firmer tone.

Kelly came up behind Samus. Wrapping an arm around the teens shoulders. "Why not John? I think that would be a great idea." Kelly smirked at her leader.

"See Kelly agrees." Samus smiled up at Kelly.

"That's not helping your argument kid." Fred replied to Samus's argument.

"Please Chief. You'll probably win." Samus pleaded.

Chief shook his head "I am, and will not verse you at a paint battle. End of discussion Samus Aran." John was getting irritated.

But Samus wasnt one to easily just quit. "One quick one. And I will never ask again."

John stood silently for a few moments. Samus staring at him with a glimmer of hope that he would challenge her. "Five minutes and that's it." It couldn't hurt to just do a quick battle.

"Yes!" Samus practically squealed. Earning herself some odd looks.

Samus quickly leapt into the confined area for paint battles.

Chief half rolled his eyes as he followed the teen. "You sure this is a good idea John?" Fred questioned walking beside Chief.

"It's not live rounds. And if Samus is going to join us on the field tonight. I want her to be prepared for anything." Chief replied, entering the small arena.

"So what are the rules Chief? Fifteen kills to win, checkpoints, what do you want to do?" Samus shot a bullet of questions.

"Checkpoints. Whoever can collect the most flags, then arrive at the safe zone without getting shot three times wins. More of a stealth game then shoot pointblank." John replied to Samus.

"Sounds fun, ok!" Samus happily agreed with the rules.

"Kelly go ahead." Chief gave Kelly the ok to set the game. Little flags were set everywhere

Samus took her arm cannon off, due to the fact it was paint. And her cannon was a real weapon. Keeping the rest of her suit on, she grabbed one of the paint pistols and loaded it with rounds.

Chief did the same with his pistol. And respectively placed himself at his starting point.

Samus did the same and waited for the signal to go.

A buzzer sounded and Chief immediately went for the first flag in site. While Samus immediately started firing at him. Dodging the fire evasively Chief lept for the flag.

Samus acted quickly and shot the spartan's reaching hand. Then shot the flag to the ground a couple feet away from the Chief.

John returned fire getting the teen in the shoulder before she could leap out of the way. Both being shot once they had two more hits before the battle ended.

Grabbing a flag on the way across the area, Samus quickly planted herself behind a small pillar. Master Chief was already well ahead of her in the flag count, and she knew it. Watching his travel set, Samus stalked him in the shadows.

Grabbing his sixth flag Chief was getting ahead of himself. Slowing his pace he knew something was up.

Samus was hanging from the mid section of a pillar to the right of the Spartan. She fired directly infront of the spartan. Leaping off the pillar she landed behind the Chief.

Master Chief quickly turned to the direction the fire had come from. Scaning the area with his eyes he saw nothing. He moved towards the area, his firearm up and ready for action.

Running across the arena from behind. Samus fired again this time being a direct hit on Chief's back.

He quickly recolected himself after the hit. He followed Samus, seeing she had only one flag. He had two choices. Take Samus out, or run to the checkpoint and win. He had already been hit twice. And Samus only once, it was a dificult decission. But a plan quickly popped up. Chasing after the teen, he fired at her.

Samus did her best at dodging, leaping off the ground over six times.

Chief timed her leaps and caught her unexpectedly. Hitting her ankle she stumbled slightly. The amount of hits on eacother was now even. The stumble was enough for Chief to now make his break for the check point.

Spinning off the ground Samus Caught the site of Chief escaping in the corner of her visor. Correcting her balance Samus chased after Chief in a pursuit. Catching up incredibly fast.

Master Chief was a foot away from the checkpoint, when all of a sudden he hit the ground hard. Samus had tackled him voilently.

The buzzer sounded, the round was over.

"Nice move kid. But perhaps it wasnt the smartest." Fred approached the two, with Kelly.

"You tackled John straight to victory. Thats where that saying think before you act comes in." Kelly teased the teen.

Samus looked at her surroundings. And saw that Chief and herself were both in the checkpoint territory. Unfortunetly since she only had one flag. Chief automatically gained the title of victor. Samus cursed under her breath. "I should have shot you instead."

"As long as you admit your mistakes. You will excell further in combat." John picked himself up off the floor.

"Well it was fun. But I want to correct that mistake." Samus grabbed her arm cannon.

"Samus I believe you have some unique techniques. That will be extremely helpful in the battlefield." Chief was doing his best to keep himself, and Samus from saying next time will be better.

"So a rematch is to come soon? As I want to correct that mistake." Samus grinned through her visor.

Chief sighed heavily. "We shall see." Turning John headed towards the exit, while Samus excitedly explained the battle they just had.

"That was so epic. You were all like I'm going to get these flags. And I was like oh no you wont!" Samus's youthfulness was still strong in her young heart. As she bounced around, reenacting the moves Chief did in the battle.

Smiling behind his visor, he snuck away from his spartans and Samus to train. The spartan leader exhaled deeply, opening the exit door. He entered the corridor. At the moment it was empty and quiet. Soothing in Chief's opinion, no rush, or crowd fighting. Calmly strolling down the corridor being the only being in the hallway, his footfalls echoed quietly. A cloud of proudness filled his head. Proud of the succes his foundling was creating.

With that thought in his mind. A smaller sized hand grabed hold of his right hand and held on softly. Gazing over he met the bright green visor. Deactivating the combat visor, Samus smiled warmly up at the lone spartan. Chief returned the smile behind his own visor. Gently tightening his hold on the teens hand, he knew Samus could read his hidden expressions. He quickly tried to shake off the emotion and return back to his monotone state.

Samus being the random teen she was. Began to skip, and dance, as if playing a song in her head. Tugging on Chief's hand as she did so John steped up his stride, to keep up with the teens oddly paced tempo. He thought it was ironic, as a couple of years ago, it was Samus who had to lengthen her stride to keep up. Samus's actions were odd, and playful. The actions were something Chief would never dream of doing. For a coming teen John thought the actions were a little strange, for her age but didn't bother to mention his opinion.

"John can you come here for a minute." Linda waved her leader over to the team standing in a door they passed.

Surprised the whole team was in a doorway, when he saw them all moments ago in the training grounds. "I'll be just one moment Samus. Go to the shooting range, Linda or I will join you in a few minutes." John advised the teen, as he approached the door the team went through.

"Ok Chief." Samus quickly headed off, eager to get some target practice in.

"John we have an issue." Kelly immediately spat as soon as Chief set foot in the room.

"Kelly I've heard your issues and concerns."

"It's something new John." Fred stepped in before a fight boiled over.

Chief went silent preparing for the news.

"Happy go lucky ODST psycho knows about the hold on the kid's banishment."

"One of her team members must have been working in the bridge when we got the news." Linda gave her theory.

"How do you know they know?" Chief replied looking worried.

"She was kind enough to bring her ranting ass into the training sims." Kelly snorted folding her arms.

"We have to keep them away from Samus. They will do anything to mentally throw her off." Chief spoke firmly.

"Yeah, and worse, they could try and put the exile into action." Kelly added.

Apon entering the target range Samus gazed around the enviroment, not watching where she was going she bumped into a table of rifles. Knocking almost every single weapon off. "Aw crap!" Samus immediately knelt down and started gathering the weapons.

"On hold!? How stupid is that!?"

Samus recognized the voice instantly narrowing it down to the female ODST pilot and leader of the miserable team of ODST soldiers.

"How the fuck, is that stupid brats exile on hold!? She killed a soldier, let alone one of our teammates! And yet Lord Hood's soft, fucking, heart is wrapped around that kids fingure." The female leader continued her rage while Samus stayed knelt under the table.

"No kidding, just like Master Chief. Man he's turned into a completely differen't spartan, he's been weak since he brought back that kid." One the male ODST's scoffed in agreement.

"Whatever, Blue team has an upcoming mission, and the brat is going with them. Watch the kid just total the whole mission." the team of ODST's left on those last words. Their cackles and remarks echoing the empty corridors.

"Exile? I was supossed to be exiled?" Samus muttered. "Why didn't they tell me!?" Samus threw her head back in frustration.

"Samus it's getting close to the mission come back now, we are preping." Chief's voice came over her comlink.

Chapter 4 Part 2: Mission Into The Unkown

Aboard the pelican the team sat quietly preping their weapons. While Chief stood in the cockpit with the pilot. Samus was standing in the door watching the clouds through the cockpit windows. "He only stays there for a brief moment kid. He'll come back and give us orders soon enough." Kelly sighed, loading her shotgun.

"What planet are we landing on?" Samus continued to stand in the doorway.

"Unknown planet." Linda replied cleaning her sniper rifle.

"Oh..." Samus exhaled, finally leaving the doorframe she walked to the seats closet to the hatch.

Moments later Chief entered. Content that his team was prepping for the mission. His eyes caught site of the orange armoured form, sitting nervously by the hatch doors. "You ready?" his large figure sat beside the smaller form.

"Yeah." Samus replied shortly, she had her mind set. Thinking about the team of ODST's, and what they said. What if she did screw up the mission, what if she gets one of the spartans killed, would she bomb the whole mission, and what about the exile that was to be possibly put into action?

"This is a relatively easy task. We are on a reconnaissance mission. Collecting info, then safely exiting. Hopefully not having to engage enemy forces unless necessary." Chief reassured the teen, interrupting her thoughts.

"What is the enemy exactly?" Samus questioned, unsure of weather the aliens she saw back on Zebes, were the ones they were going to go hunt?

"Covenant Remnants. The same aliens that attacked your planet."

With those words said by the Chief, Kelly immediately perked up as if she was in shock.

John was about to attempt another reassuring quote to the now deeply saddened teen, he felt gravity pulling him away from the conversation.

Grabbing and pulling her leader away from the teen momentarily, recieving odd looks from the her teammates. "Uh Chief, wasn't the Covenant looking for her, to use as a weapon against us?" Kelly gestured to the teen.

Glancing back at Samus, Chief turned back to his concerned team member. "Kelly we have had her for three years now. I think the Covenant has moved onto bigger things." Chief responded with a sigh.

"What if she is a side project for them? A possible asset to be found to help with their conquest?" Kelly argued.

"Kelly we have a mission objective, no need to be adding any more stress to this situation." Fred responded to Kelly's wondering theories. "Plus the kid is trained enough that she will do anything to stick around us. She's not switching sides anytime soon."

After dropping into a heavily wooded area, the team moved swiftly and quick away from the landing site.

Samus was quick to follow. Keeping up didn't seem to be a problem at the moment.

"Linda any leads on where the most valuable info might be?" Chief crouched behind a small cliff overhang.

"My guess would be that carrier over there. But there's no bording that without being detected." Linda replied, looking through the scope of her sniper rifle.

"There has to be a differen't source. We couldn't possibly board, unless it throws it's gravity lift out, or a tall structure in near." Chief shook his head.

Samus easily lost interest getting bored of the planning and took it apon herself to take a look around for herself. Moving as quietly and invisible as possible she quickly found a ground base camp of the Covenant operation.

"There should be a base camp around somewhere." Fred sighed, looking around to make sure they were not followed. As he scaned around them his heart skipped a beat when he noticed a brightly coloured teen was missing. "Um John..."

Chief instantly clutched his assult rifle at the sound of Fred's tone. "What is it?"

"The kid is missing." Fred came straight out with his voice of concern.

For once John's heart sank with fear. Their cover was about to be blown, and the mission was going to be a bust. Worst of all Samus was going to get injured or killed running into the wrong Sangheili. Which was any Sangheili in any term.

As if on que alien shouts were heard along with gunfire.

"Linda take out the snipers, Fred take out everything you see, and Kelly call the pelican!" Chief immediately started giving orders.

"Dammit, We need evac ASAP!" Kelly cursed as she called the pelican.

"Kelly, Fred, clear a path. We need to find Samus." John ordered as he tore through a pack of Jackles.

Taking out any alien badstard that got in their way. Blue team was succesful in finding their way to the base camp. When they arrived most of the aliens were dead except for maybe a couple Grunts. Chief stepped carefully around the bodies on the ground, scanning for any movement or sign of the missing teen.

At that a Sangheili body began to move. Chief quickly directed his rifle at it and waited cautiously. As it moved more recklessly it flopped over to one side and a brightly armoured teen emerged from under the body. "Fat ass landed on me when he charged me as I shot him." Samus scoffed brushing herself off.

Grabbing the teens arm John was furious "Dammit Samus you could have been killed! You can't be irresponsible like that, you listen and do as my direct orders tell you to!"

Samus winced at the angered grip on her arm. Wriggling in pain she didn't dare challenge to get loose.

Fred caught glimps of the pained body language from the teen. "John you're hurting her." Fred gestured to the teens arm.

John released Samus immediately. His emotions got the better of him, he usually didn't allow his fury to show itself.

"If you two are done we have hostiles on approach, and our ride is inbound." Kelly reported to her commanding officer.

"Get on the Pelican there's nothing here for us." Chief said in an irritated tone.

Leaving the hostile zone the Pelican reached the atmosphere with ease. The whole ride home was silent the tension in the pelican could have been cut with a knife.

Reporting to the birdge for debriefing by the Admiral and Captain the tension had followed.

"The mission was a bust. We got no valuable info, and were attacked not being able to salvage one piece data." Linda reported.

"The computer that had all the data was destroyed smartly." Fred added.

"Our cover was blown so they destroyed any evidence of their future attacks." Kelly sighed hanging her head low.

"What are you guys talking about I got all the information needed before destroying the computer." a younger voice spoke up.

"What!?" Kelly lifted her head in surprise, as the rest of them looked at the teen in surprise.

"You got information from the data computer?" Lord Hood questioned on approach.

Samus felt her body panick as the elderly officer approached her. "Yes sir I will transfer the data to you now."

Samus did as she had said, and with in seconds Lasky recieved all the collected information on his data pad.

"Very good, you are all dismissed." The team saluted before leaving for the door.

"Master Chief do not let this situation happen again. The threat of decommissioning your squad is at bay." Lord Hood warned the spartan leader.

Lord Hood wasn't threatening the situation it was a said action that was to happen very soon as the team of spartans have been on duty for quite sometime. And their retirement was to go into action soon enough.

The next approaching weeks brought more missions and more frustration out of Master Chief.

Samus felt trapped under command, and hated having to take orders. But that didn't stop her from ignoring some of the orders given.

The constant arguing and refusal to take orders was driving John insane. "Samus!" John tackled the teen out of the way of on coming plasma grenades. When picking himself up he didn't find the teen under him by any means.

She had succesfully rolled herself out of the way, in her contorted morph ball.

"John she is jeopardizing the mission... again!" Kelly shouted arcoss the field of fire.

"Understood! Fred neutralize Samus and keep her out of the way!" John replied with an order.

"I'm on it!" Fred acknowledged quickly grabbing and pulling the insubordinate teen into a small enclosure.

Samus fell to the floor on her back. "Hey!" Samus whined as one of Fred's large hands on her chest held her down.

Fred was at the opening of the enclosure stil providing cover fire for the team with a hand gun. "I have orders to keep you secured." Fred mentioned, ingnoring the teens whines and struggles.

"I'm not hurt though!" Samus began hitting the hand with her cannon.

"I didn't say you were. Those are just my orders and I obey them when given."

Samus saw where this was going and began to get upset. "I follow orders!" she argued.

"Not to there full extent, you don't." Fred replied firing his weapon. "I don't wish to discourage or be hateful in any way, shape, or form, but. You and your constant attitude to resist authority is causing the team to break apart. You are constantly putting the mission at risk. And not only that, you are constantly putting the teams lives at risk. And with the stress you put on John, your commanding officer and leader. He will be deceased by the stress heavily wieghed on him rather then a stray bullet from an Elite!" Fred gave the teen a dose of reality.

The speech pierced through Samus like an energy sword. "I'm just trying to prove I can do more then what you ask me! I hate having to be recon all the time while the team gets all the action!" Samus continued her argument.

"Kid the only reason we put you on recon is because we know you're not mentally ready for the such task at hand." Fred fired again hitting two jackles.

Samus had enough of the criticism, transforming into her morphball she easily escaped Fred and rolled out of the enclosure. Only to be met by a foot crushing down on her.

"Dammit!" Fred cursed jumping out of the enclosure to catch the escaping teen. Fred stopped on a dime seeing that giving chase was not needed. Samus was an immobilized ball under Master Chief's foot.

"Mission is a complete success Kelly call the pelican." John announced.

"A complete success haven't heard that in a while." Kelly replied before doing as she was told.

Samus transformed but was met with same foot stepping down on her chest. Samus sighed laying under the foot in defeat.

John released the teen from under his foot. "Get up."

That firm voice Samus recognized the anger hidden deep within the tone. Samus quickly picked herself up, waiting for the scolding to begin. But it never came. Chief had finally given up on yelling at her.

"Pelican inbound." Linda announced, as she saw the shine of the cockpit through the clouds through the scope of her rifle.

"Sweep the area make sure nothing is alive." Chief ordered the whole team.

The team did as they were told and did a clean sweep of the area.

As Samus swept her area a flicker next to an Elite body brought her attention. She scanned as she knelt down to the body. The Elite was high ranking, surely important enough to carry some type of important object or info. The Elite opened it's eye ever so slightly to see the teen investigating his badly injured form. Catching the flicker of a hologram next to the hilt of the Sangheili's sword. Samus reached and took the small clam like device off the Sangheili hip. At that the sangheili with what strength was left grabbed hold of Samus's hand causing the device to activate. A hologram appeared but Samus had no time to look as she struggled under the grasp.

The rest of blue team quickly gathered back around their leader. "The area is clean John. No signs of life anywhere." Fred reported to Master chief.

Samus let out a starled cry that instantly caught the teams attention. Chief quickly sprinted in the direction the cry came from his team hot on his trail.

The Sangheili sat up pulling her closer to his body his free hand reaching for his hilt. Samus continued to pull away as she charged her power beam. The Sangheili warrior caught site of it and swung his sword at the weapon. To late, the Sangheili's grip released and Samus fell onto her backside. The hologram directly infront of her eyes Samus quickly crawled backwards away from the hologram. Her heart pounded like it was about to burst out of her chest her body going numb as she stared to hyperventilate.

The team of spartans rounded the corner Chief immediately slid to Samus's side putting an arm around her shoulders. "Samus are you hurt?" Chief gave her a small shake. "Samus?" John stared at her petrified body into the fearful eyes through her normale visor. Chief then gazed up at his team staring at something behind him.

"What the hell is that?" Kelly questioned raising an eyebrow behind her visor.

Chief turned following Samus and the teams gaze to the hologram behind him and stared in confusion at the creature the hologram produced.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello again just a warning for the next upcoming chapters after this one and spoilers I suppose. I am walking in blind here I will have the least bit of relatability to the actual battle and death of the Didact. Considering I have a new villan to introduce with the Didact being his ally and leader. Again I have a wierd ass timeline. I will try and keep the actual way and reason to the whole death of the Didact still in the story. So Just throwing the wild card in and making the story off the top of my head so bear with it. And yes I am wrighting it as a family bonding type of story that's what I'm known for, family, comfort, and humor. So yes I've pretty much made a very protective family side to the spartans. Especially Master Chief, don't worry I'm aware that it's not his character, but is is in this story, so go in with an open mind you have been warned. Oh and PS yes Ridley will be able to talk like in the manga gives things a little more spice. Anyway enjoy and thank you for reading! :)**

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Chapter 5: Killer Of Those Close

Chief motioned for the girls to help Samus as he turned his attention to the hologram he grabbed hold of. The pelican landed climbing aboard the girls setting Samus in a seat continued to attempt to get her out of her petrified state.

Chief and Fred examined the device and hologram. "What is that thing?" Fred questioned watching the hologram flicker. The dragon like creature looked like nothing more than pure evil waiting for it's next victim.

"Not confirmed on what it is yet. But I have a feeling Samus must know." Chief replied watching the girls comfort the petrified teen.

"You think it's a promethean of some sort?" Fred shrugged.

"Perhaps. We will have to get answers first." Chief sighed waiting for the pelican to land.

As they made there way to the bridge Samus had taken to being completely silent once more. Hiding behind the team hoping they would ignore her asking no questions.

"This hologram has some alien text unrecognizable to the Covenant language." Lasky said transferring the hologram onto the monitor.

"It wouldn't be Forerunners the Covenant use it all the time." Linda mulled. "A whole new civilization, another ally for the Covenant?"

"Yes but what?" Lord Hood agreed with the red heads thoughts.

"It's space pirate text" A quiet voice from behind the team of spartans came barely audible to ancient ears.

Chief stepped out of the way revealing the chozo armoured teen leaving through the exit.

Lord Hood fixed his gaze on the exiting teen sensing clearly she knew something they didn't. "Master Chief get the information from her and report back to me as soon as possible." Lord Hood dismissed the team.

With a respectful salute the team exited tracking down the teen.

Chief grasped Samus's shoulder. "Samus can we speak we need to know about that creature?"

"I don't want to have to speak about it. I'm sorry I screwed up the mission and made you angry." Samus appologized for an unrelated topic.

"Thank you for appologizing now after the 50 other frustrating missions. Glad you could apologize for the one successful one." Kelly sighed in annoyance.

"That's not what we are talking about right now." Chief shook his head at the female spartan.

"I told you I didn't want to talk about it." Samus voice was almost malice.

"Samus what is wrong?" Chief stepped infront of the teen.

"That bastard is a murderer and he needs to be taken out. And I'm going to be the one to do it!" Samus hissed pushing around the spartan.

"Samus you are not going to take out anyone. We need to report what this creature is and formulate a plan." Master Chief Grabbed and held Samus in place. "You are the only one who knows this thing and can tell us what it is capable of."

"You want to know what he's capable of?" Samus retorted shaking her head she scoffed. "Ok then here's the list."

"Destroying whole planets, galaxies, and families..." Samus paused gazing away for a moment before her anger boiled over her depression. "Killing anything in his way the condescending bastard takes pride in his destruction and uses it to manipulate his enemies and tear them apart first mentally then phisically!" Samus choked back angered tears.

The team was not blind to the obvious anger and sadness that created that hateful revenge boiling inside the teen just waiting to explode. "Samus is this creature Ridley?" Chief remembered when Samus first arrived she mentioning someone named Ridley who destroyed her family and home.

"Yes his name is Ridley he has control over a whole army of idiots. He is the space pirate comander and sole leader. But he is quick to gain allies, and loves to make his army grow in anyway." Samus replied with a sigh.

"And the Covenant seems like the perfect candidate for a said ally." Linda growled clenching a fist.

"Making both armies bigger and stronger... dammit!" Kelly cursed.

While the Spartans were figuring out the news Samus quickly slunk off into a nearby room to review the scans she did on the holographic device.

"We must report this immediately." Fred suggested.

"I agree..."

"Chief!" Lasky came jogging down the hallway clearly he had something important to announce.

Samus went over the information but got confused with something she had stumbled upon. "Prometheans, what the hell is a Didact?" as she thought to herself she heard the familiar voice of the captin speaking to the team.

"An ODST team on the planet below us has not reported in, and we need your team to inspect. We suspect Prometheans were the cause of this inexplicit reason to not respond." Lasky went over the missions info.

"Prometheans perfect, I find them, I get better clues on Ridley's whereabouts." Samus grined rejoning the team in the hallway as if she hadn't left.

"Sorry to throw you all back in the field so quickly." Lasky appoligized. "But we have a pelican prepped and everything."

"Thank you sir." John started moving his team down the hallway.

The captin smiled. "Thank you Chief." Lasky sighed his thanks.

Samus met Lasky's gaze as she walked following the team, he kept his smile and nodded at her as she passed. Samus hid a nervous smile behind her visor returning the nod she quickly jogged to catch up to the spartans.

Boarding the pelican Kelly passed Chief weapons onto the pelican, while Linda and Fred did a quick maintenance check on the aircraft. Samus entered the hanger approaching the now boarding spartan team. John stood at the opened hatch of the pelican as his team passed him on the way in, to no surprise Samus was behind them trying to enter the pelican.

Chief held up an arm stopping the teen at the door. "You stay here for this one."

"What why?" Samus groaned.

"This mission is to dangerous for you." John now took a defensive position infront of the teen.

"And all the other ones weren't? Chief I think you are underestimating me." Samus argued. "You always say it's to dangerous."

Chief knew the team was getting annoyed by the hold up. "No I'm not underestimating you, it's just a matter of saftey. You have never had to handle Prometheans." Chief wasn't far from being frustrated either.

"How am I suppossed know if I can, if you wont expose me to get the experience?" Samus threw in a valid argument.

Kelly jumped out of her seat in annoyance. "Just let her on, we don't have to let her out of the pelican when we land. She can stand guard at the pelican so lets go!" Kelly whispered over John's shoulder.

"I heard that." Samus folded her arms.

"Just get on board." Kelly threw her head walking back to her seat.

"John we are wasting time here let her on." Linda growled from the cockpit.

"Get on." The low monotone voice of annoyance allowed the teen to board. The hatch shut behind Samus as she boarded passed a extremely annoyed petty officer.

Pulling Samus to the side, seating her at the end of a row of seats, Chief wanted to imprint how important his orders were to be for her safety. "Stay close, and listen to my every order, if you don't listen so help me god, you will never leave the Infinity ever again." Chief made sure his threat sounded as firm and mean as possible. That odd personality Samus brought out in him was taking over him again.

Samus rolled her eyes. "I got it Chief I will listen to you."

"You say that everytime." John repeated Samus's earlier complaint.

Samus exhaled hanging her head. "I promise."

Chief knelt down infront of the armoured teen. "Don't let that Ridely business take over you, remember to focus on what's important." Chief held both Samus's shoulders.

Samus lifted her head making eye contact with the spartan, her expression seemed blank, but her mind was at war. How did he know she was thinking about Ridely?

Giving a small smile and nod of her head, Chief returned the nod giving a squeeze to her left shoulder, before standing moving towards the cockpit.

Kelly snorted with a grin as Chief passed by her and Fred.

Stopping with his hand ontop of the cockpit doorframe Chief exhaled. "Yes Kelly?"

Repositioning herself in her seat so she could face her leader, Kelly smiled behind her visor. "That was sweet of you to give her a pep talk. You know for a tin man with no feelings."

"Kelly!" Fred gasped sitting up straight.

Kelly was referring to Chief's lack of emotion towards most people and situations. John loved his team like a family, but didn't enjoy trying to get close to them, in case of a death he could over come and quickly recover from the loss. Hence the reason why he avoided spending his free time with them. But that had changed since Samus had arrived, and secretly it annoyed him for an unknown reason to him. Perhaps it was because his heart and mind were at conflict with his training.

"Your a whole new type a protective, it's just funny." Kelly chuckled resting her back against her seat.

"I am always protective don't get ridicules Kelly." Chief scoffed setting himself inside the cockpit doorframe.

"Yeah true, but this is a special type of protective." Kelly replied slyly.

Chief tired of hearing Kelly's remarks, he sighed with annoyance, shutting the cockpit door.

Linda peeked over her shoulder at the sound of the door shutting behind her. "John is it Samus that's getting to you? Or are you really allowing Kelly to get your last nerve?"

"Never mind Linda." Chief sighed. Another cocky feamale to deal with, it was times like this that Chief missed having Sam around. He wouldn't exactly back him up on the subject, but he would at least distract the girls, by arguing in a comedic manner. Sam was immature at times but none the less a grand spartan and teammate.

A small popping sound from the other side of the door caught both Linda and John off gaurd, shaking Chief out of his thoughts.

"What the hell!?" Linda opened the door with a switch. "Are we under fire?"

Chief looked on the rader and found nothing, then looked over his shoulder to see Kelly and Samus, standing frozen in the center of the pelican.

"Wasn't my fualt!" Samus held both arms up her cannon arm smoking at the tip as if it were just used. "It was Kelly!"

"Brat! I just was admiring her gun, I asked how it worked, she gave a mild demonstration, give me a break." Kelly defended, pushing Samus back down into a seat. Meanwhile Fred was hiding his head between his legs and arms, trying to ignore the crazy activities around him.

Chief quirked an eyebrow shaking his head at the two. Pivoting on his heels Chief returned to the cockpit, shuting the door behind him, he took a seat in the copilot chair.

"Samus?" Linda asked gazing over her shoulder for a brief moment.

"Samus... and Kelly." Chief replied with a sigh, somehow Samus seemed to bring out the child in everyone on the team. John was affraid that Samus's unintentional influence would make the team lose trace of their training. Worse thing was that he was the first victim under the influence, him, a leader, that had to be strong, and show little sympathy so he may carry on a mission.

"ETA status?" John shook his thoughts away changing the subject.

"10 minutes, may as well tell the crew to prep themselves."

Chief nodded opening the door. "Landing in 10 ready yourselves."

"Ready!" Samus replied cheerfully totting her cannon.

"Trust me we know your weapons are all good and running." Kelly remarked, using one of her fingures to push the cannon to point at the ground.

On the ground the atmosphere was different, not the planet so much as the teams atmosphere, their behaviour. They seemed tense, especially Samus and Chief, for two totally different reasons.

Samus was on a hunt. She was to find any clues, or signs, that would lead her to her sworn nemesis.

John had his mind set on the mission. Finding the ODST Team, solving the cause of their disappearance, and taking out the Didact for good if the oportunity presented itself. Spotting a damaged weapon through the sand storm of dust, Chief motioned for the team to sweep the area.

As Samus swept her part of the area she came across large claw marks, and a torn up warthog. Looking further into the horrific scene she found ODST bodies. "Uh Chief." Samus called in a slightly shaken tone.

Turning his head in the direction the voice came from Chief replied. "What's your status Samus?" slightly concerned that she possibly was being threatened by an enemy as he did not have a clear visual of her through the dust and her tone of voice kept the tension high.

"I found the team we were looking for." Samus replied as she knelt down next to a clawed open victim. She secretly wished Prometheans had giant claws.

The spartans were quick to arrive by her side, examining the wreckage for themselves.

"I scanned all the bodies, no sign of life, all are deceased." Surprised Samus was comunitcating like an adult.

Something that had and orange glow caught Chief's attention. A shimmer of reflective light from a promethean knight was enough to have Chief pointing his rifle at the said soldier. It stared for a moment before telaporting off. Following Chief's gaze, Samus watched as the creature vanished with out a trace, as a large shadow cast over where it last stood. "What the hell was that!?" Samus stood up defensively.

"Promethean knight, stay on high alert, we have company." Chief clutched his rifle tightly.

The shadow quickly passed over the team, unable to see what it was through the sand and dust, the team was frantically aiming scaning the sky and all around area.

"John motion sensors are picking up a bogey directly above us, and a large one at that." Kelly announced aiming to the sky.

A terrible familiar bone chilling screech echoed through the stom, flooding Samus with terror. All the spartans including Samus flicnched at the sound. "What... was... that?" Kelly turned to Fred looking for an answer.

Samus recognized that screech without even having to think twice about it, immediately she began firing into the sky, out of rage, and frustration. The Spartans visibly jumped at the sudden rapid fire, turning and aiming their weapons to the sky, seeing nothing.

"Samus hold your fire." Chief ordered throwing a large hand down on the firing cannon.

Samus of course protested the hand away aiming back to the sky. Chief grabbed hold of the weapon and held it down. "I gave you an order, you promised to obey them, remember? Don't waste the energy if there's nothing to aim at."

Another blood curdling screech filled the air, ringing through everyones ears. "Chief we have to go." Samus changed her mind, the last screech echoing through her, reminding Samus of those she got close to were stolen away by this very creature.

Kelly got confused at the random act Samus put on. "We haven't completed the investigation yet." Kelly lowered her assualt riffle turning Samus's way. As she did so, another roar was admitted into the storm. "Shit and this thing isn't dead yet!" Kelly brought her weapon back up.

"No we have to leave now!" Samus shook her head pulling her cannon loose from Chief's grip. She could deal with Ridley but not with another loss.

Lowering his rifle John could tell Samus was panicking now by her frantic behaviour. Clearly it was her nemesis hovering over them.

"What's the matter kid, you usually don't panick with enemies?" Fred called across the storm.

"It's not safe out here!" Samus replied shortly. "We need to find cover before he finds us."

Chief was willing to compromise with Samus's panicked cries. He noticed through the storm a small base camp building about a klick north from them. "We need to regroup, there is a base camp about a klick north of here, it should take us a five minutes to get there. We need to check for survivors, and see if we get any signals with command." Chief ordered out his voice carrying over the wind.

"Well then, lets not stand around, waiting to be lunch for this thing then." Kelly retorted taking point.

The team followed Kelly in tow. But Samus stayed behind, now that the team was heading to safety, she would wait for the opportune moment to be presented so she may strike. That plan immediately dissolved into nothing when she felt a strong arm guide her forward. "You to Samus." Chief was still standing with her, she had completely forgot. He was still in danger and most vulnerable!

Shaking the arm off she grabbed Master Chief's hand with her only free one, she took off running practically, throwing the spartan off balance from the sudden change in pace. Sprinting past Linda, and Fred, bearly making it by Kelly. "Hey cool your jets kid are we under fire?" Kelly grabbed and pulled Samus back by the shoulder.

"No but we could be!" Samus ran passed the female spartan anyway, still draging the leader.

"We need to stick close together though." Kelly groaned, jogging behind the Chozo armour, the team followed suit and headed into the dimly lit building.

The team quickly turned on there flashlights on their helmets and weapons. "Linda, Fred, search for survivors throughout the base, then rendezvous back at the enterance. Kelly, Samus, and I will search here, then go over a plan to deal with this new found foe." Chief immediately gave out orders to his team, who with out argument obliged, and took action.

Kelly went to south end of the room, while Cheif went for the west, checking behind and under fallen debris for any signs of life. Samus was to busy with her running mind to check out anything. As she just stood in the middle of the room trying to figure out a way to not get Chief and the team murdered by Ridley.

"kid get your ass moving, we need help here, come on!" Kelly snapped shining her rifles light at Samus's visor.

Samus winced at the bright light, taking a few steps backward, she stepped on something that made a plastic crunching sound. Samus knelt down, picking the item up she easily recognized the device as another holographic projector. The device was slightly damaged but she would have to fix it later. As she put it in a storage compartment in her suit the whole building shook. Sparks flew everywhere, electrical fuses blew, as the three of them regained their balance.

"Linda, Fred, status?" John didn't hesitate to check up on his other half of the team.

"Nothing yet John, what was that quake, is everyone alright?" Fred replied on the open comm channel.

Kelly gave a thumbs up while Samus nodded as she peeked behind a box for a survivor.

"Everyone is sustainable, our area seems to be clear, what about you?" Chief exhaled, as he watched cables above him spark, and swing.

"All clear here we are heading back now." Linda reported.

Master Chief ended the call doing a small jog back to the center of the room. "Samus, Kelly, regroup." he called the girls in.

"Linda and Fred are clear, and heading back our way now. We haven't tested to see if we can get a long range signal with command yet. Kelly I need you to do that, Samus and I will search around and see if we can find any information about what's going on. We will go over a bigger plan when Linda and Fred arrive." John ordered out his temporary plan to the two.

"On it." Kelly quickly made her way over to what was left of the communications computer.

Chief bearly walked passed Samus before she leapt away from him as if he had a plague. Thinking it would be best to keep a distance from him, as if she had never met him, so he wasn't a painted target of importance, that would capture the dragons evil intentions

Chief looked around to see if the teen had spotted and enemy, but was met by nothing but himself. He just couldn't bring it to himself as a normale behaviour from her, usually Samus would be happy he was with her. With that thought the sound of giant claws scurrying across the metalic roof pierced the ears, just as Linda and Fred reentered the room.

Samus flinched at the sound, backing into the middle of the room, creating distance from the now gathering spartan team at the exit.

The team had their guns pointed to the cieling, as they started speaking out their plans. "Ok we have a large target on our hands, with no survivors."

"And no communication, the link is down." Kelly interupted her leader.

"Do we even have any info on what's going on?" Linda added a question into the mix.

Chief had to quickly think about what was to go into action at this time. Make a break for it, and escape with there lives. Or stay, and collect information, at a high risk of getting injured or killed. Suddenly the sound of heavy flames on the roof, along with the cieling turning red from the heat came, that was when Chief made his decision. "We don't have time, we make an exit out of the base, and make a break for the Pelican." He did not want to risk the team's life, considering the computers with any information were completely totaled, obviously the damage was done by promethean knights, judging by the blade marks.

"Yeah, and what if this thing decides to pursue us?" Kelly retorted as the metal ceiling began to warp and bend.

"We engage it until we can reach the pelican safely." Chief answered. "We move on my mark, sync?"

Reluctantly the team agreed to the plan. "Sync." The team was getting concered about Chief's timing as the roof was about to collapse ontop of them.

Meanwhile Samus was to busy fighting herself on what to do. Weather she should stand and fight Ridely, or follow the teams orders and escape. But she was convinced she was ready to get revenge on the dragon.

The sound of the last support beam giving out, was the moment to move, John gave the signal, and the team high tailed it out of there, as the roof began to cave in, dropping large metal debris.

As everyone exited through the door Chief's head count wasn't complete, spinning around to see Samus distraught and confused in the middle of the demolishing room. "Samus!" Chief called in a frantic tone, sprinting over to the frozen teen, he tackled her to the ground, covering her as they were buried alive under rubble.

Samus loooked, up seeing blackness everywhere, along with dust. "Chi..." She was quickly silenced by a hand grabbing her helmet where her mouth would have been, and another hand pulling her closer to whoevers hands they belonged to.

"Shh... be still." Chief silenced the teen, having her hugged tightly to his side, as a dragon like snout full of razors, slowly crept up passed the small hole in the rubble above them.

Samus's fear boiled over by her rage, as she was stuck with Chief, and might have an extreme risk of loosing him if Ridely found them.

In his arms Master Chief could feel the girl tremble through her armour, as the low rumbling growl of the dragon echoed in the rubble cave they hid in. With an angered roar, the sound of powerful wings taking off, created a cloud of dust and smoke as the dragon breathed fire onto the rubble out of anger.

"Where the hell is John and the kid!?" Kelly turned around seeing the dragon destroying the base they had just eascaped.

"They must still be in there." Linda jogged up to the other female spartan.

"They wont be able to escape with that thing attacking them!" Fred looked through the scope of his weapon to see the large angered beast hovering above the base.

Kelly groaned. "Well then lets pull the pressure off, Linda you want to do the honors!"

"With pleasure." Linda gazed through the scope on her sniper rifle, taking the shot directly at Ridley's eye.

An ear piercing screech of pain echoed, as the fire breathing stopped, powerful wings flew off in a fit, giving Chief and Samus a chance to escape.

"John what's going on are you and the kid alright?" the familiar voice of a male spartan filled Chief's helmet.

"We are under rubble, life signs are stable, no reported injuries yet. What's the teams status?" Chief replied trying to lift and move the heavy rubble.

Firing his riffle Fred evaded out of the way of fire breath. "We have that bogey off you, we can keep him busy for as long as we can, just get out of there safely."

"Likewise Fred." Chief ended the call, briefly giving up on the moving the rubble, he turned his attention to the silent teen. "Are you alright?"

"Yes." Samus sighed nodding, trying to shoulder check some concrete out of the way.

"Your not injured are you?"

"I'm fine Chief!" Samus snapped drawing Chief back in surprise.

Chief sighed going back to removing as much rubble as possible.

"I'm sorry, I just don't know what to do." Samus exhaled throwing a small piece of concrete.

"I understand he's your nemesis, you haven't seen him since that terrible incident, you just have to keep your mind set on the mission and not let your emotions take over." Chief replied trying to give comfort to the teen.

"That's not the... I got it Chief." Samus gave an emotionless tone, as she gazed up at the small hole above them. A giant explosion and gunfire caught their attention reminding both the soldiers that the team was fighting for their escape alone.

"We need to find a way out of here, the team needs help."John growled pushing on a large piece of debris. "Nothings moving, and a grenade would be to much, and may cause a cave in. Clearly the entire roof is ontop of us, or else I could have moved everything no problem."

"Hey Chief, I can make it through that hole if you lift me up there." Samus pointed to the hole above them.

"Samus you would have to contort yourself into a ball in order to fit throu..."

"Are you going to throw me through or not?" the now contorted morphball spoke next to the spartans boots.

"Your done taking adittude lessons from Kelly." Chief threatened picking the ball up.

"Unfortunately for you, adittude is just a trait, all women come with." Samus remarked as she was pushed through the hole landing on the out side of the debris mountain.

"Ok enough goofing around, you're out now. So find some way to get out of here, so you can join the others."

"Sure but first cover yourself for a second." Samus replied.

"Why..." as Chief asked the question a small explosion admitted dust and little pieces of rocks hitting the spartans visor and armour.

Diverting his attention to the now slightly larger hole, big enough for him to squeeze through. "What did you do?"

"It was a small, low pulse, explosion, that breaks through concrete and other debris." Samus laid down reaching her hand down to Chief.

"Why didn't you do that earlier?" Chief took the smaller hand and hoisted himself up, almost pulling Samus back down into the rubble cave, until she stood up and pulled back.

"Did you want me to blow your hands off? By the way, you weigh like, two tons!" Samus hissed, as she landed on her butt, when Chief exited the cave.

"Half a ton, now lets go, the team needs our help." Chief corrected, pulling Samus back up to her feet.

"But there's to much debris in the way of the exit we will have climb out." Samus pointed at the open cieling.

"We climb quickly then."

"Die you damn parasites!" Ridley spat divebombing the team.

"Shit this things talks? Fred, what's John, and the kids status?!" Kelly rolled out of the way of a sharp tail trying to stab her.

Ridley was about to fire a charged, blast, of fire, at the team. When he himself, was hit by a charged shot. "What?!" Ridley clenched his jaw in rage spinning around to see what had hit him.

"They're right there." Fred pointed to the top of the demolished base, where Chief and Samus stood defensive positions.

Samus's cannon was smoking from the heat from her charged beam she had shot, she then turned to the spartan standing behind her, ready to fire at the dragon. "Chief get down to the team and get to the pelican, I will stay here and distract this bastard, so you can escape." Samus ordered to Chief.

Ridley swooped at them causing them both to jump to opposite sides of what little roof was left. "What, I'm not leaving you alone with this thing, I give out the orders not you!" Master Chief snapped in disagreement of such a plan.

"Trust me on this, the team can't hold out forever, just let me do it Chief!" Samus fired repeatedly at the dragon.

"Not going to happen Samus!" Chief shot at the dragon, to distract it from the girl to no avail, as Samus shot yet another charged shot, this time a direct hit into the dragons mouth.

"You annoying piece of living metal, I will melt you down to molten liquid!" Ridley landed directly infront of Samus, the quake of his wieght throwing her off balance as the roof beneath her began to crumble.

Chief immediately opened fire apon the dragon, resulting in a clawed hand batting him off the top of the building.

Cornered and being trapped by Ridley Samus could do nothing."Chief!" Samus cried, as all she could do was watch the spartan fly off the building.

Master Chief hit the ground hard, getting winded, he struggled for a moment to clear his head. "John!" Kelly, Linda, and Fred rushed to their leaders aid.

Picking up his riffle he pulled himself to his feet "I'm fine Samus is trapped..." Before he could finish his sentence, a horde of promethean knights appeared out of no where, and began spraying the team with bullets.

"Open fire and spread out!" Chief ordered, as he and the others, sprinted off in different directions.

Samus could just see the firefight from under the right wing of Ridley. "What are those things!?" Samus groaned, frustrated that she wasn't down on the ground, helping the team.

"Those are my allies in this conquest to eradicate that pethetic race called humans!" Ridley hissed closing in on the teen.

"Oh like how you eradicated the humans on planet K-2L!" Samus spat right back at the dragon taking a challenging step forward, her heart and mind, set on taking revenge.

"That was quite sometime ago. That horrid planet, I was lucky to get off there alive, after that imbecile miner blew up my ship ontop of me!"

Enraged by the insulting words said about her father, she fired at Ridley out of anger, only landing a few uneffective shots to Ridley's body. "How dare you say that, he was a brave man, who gave his life to save others!" Samus clenched her hand into a fist.

"Well he did a terible job, everyone on that planet was roasted alive, and eaten by me for my own survival." Ridley smirked with an evil growl, as he continued his slow approach, backing the teen towards the hole in what was left of the cieling of the base.

Samus's heart skipped a beat, and stomach churned, from the disturbing image of her parents being eaten by the sinister dragon now imprinted in her head. Loosing her focus on her suit it flared a couple times revealing her young distraught self.

Ridley's head cocked back for a moment as his eye that wasnt injured from a sniper, narrowed as a smirk curled on his lips. "Your that brat that had the nerve to ask me to be friends, diminishing me infront of my troops!" Ridley snarled. "How pathetic you've become, thinking you could bring justice, and revenge all by yourself? And who's the band of idiots you're running with now, your babysitters?" Ridley cackled, gazing over his shoulder at the struggled fight, going on below.

"You go near them, and I swear, I will burn you alive!" Samus jumped to her feet recovering her power suit.

"Oh you mean burn me alive, just as I will with you, so you may join your parents?" Ridley smirked as Samus drew back at the image given to her.

"It's ok I will just deal with you for now. They will have to come later, as I have a job to do. I have to store this anyway, and watch the real show go on." Ridley snapped his jaws showing Samus a key like item in his claws, with his other free hand, he attempted to clutch Samus in his claws.

Snapping out of her trance, Samus was wise to his moves, doing a backflip down into the base. Stumbling on her landing, as her feet slipped, from the loose rubble. Firing at Ridley once more getting direct hits eveytime, Samus was ready to fight so she thought. "What exactly are you using that for?" Samus dared to ask.

"It's to be used by the one we will resurrect! The Didact will rid of you parasites, and continue to eradicate all who deny him!"

"I highly doubt that will happen, you fail at everything!" Samus spat mockingly.

"That's where you are wrong, I have an instalation to get to, and you are distracting me from such duties!" Taking off, hovering just above the building. "Die you damned brat!" Ridley snarled, breathing his hot, flaming, breath at a rapid pace, like a gun trying to hit a target. Samus had no problem dodging the rapid fire thrown at her, as she fired back getting hits on the dragon. This enraged the beast, with an angered roar, he dropped down ontop of the girl. He grabbed her in the clutches of his claws, he slammed her into the base wall, and dragged her body against it, causing sparks from her suit to fly, effectively taking her shielding down 30%. With another roar Ridley took off upwards, with the ten still in hand, reaching an unacceptable altitude to hover at, he began to charge his fire. Samus shakily raised her cannon, charging it as well, she released the charge firing directly into the dragons mouth. Causing a great deal of pain Ridley dropped Samus, as she decsended she continued firing at the dragon recovering from the sting of pain.

Kelly ripped a scatter shot from one of the Knights firing the weapon, she blew through the knights midsection causing it's death, it fell backwards onto the ground, revealing Samus's mid air battle with Ridley.

Ridley regained his strength and dove for the teen that fired at him. Samus continued to pellet the dragon with charged shots from her cannon. Angering the beast further as he closed in on her, as they were a couple hundred feet from the ground, Ridley batted the teen down with his razor sharp tail. The hit caused Samus to fly at the ground at an uncontrollable rate of velocity. Samus woke second after hitting the ground with blurry vision, still stunned and unable to move, she was surprised hitting the ground that hard that her spine didn't snap on impact.

Samus hit the ground so hard Kelly could see a cloud of dust just reach the tip of the base. "Oh my god, Chief you've got to go rescue Samus. That dragon bastard just took her for a nice free fall baseball run, she just hit the ground. Don't worry about the prometheans, we can hold off theses idiots!" Kelly yelled over the open comm channel.

Chief tackled one of the last knights by him. Stabbing it's neck, it disintegrated, revieling the large flying beast firing yet again down into the base. "Kelly, Linda, cover fire. Fred get to the pelican then pick us up, I'm going to get Samus." John started sprinting back to the base with Linda and Kelly in tow.

Samus after recovering her energy level was let at 30%. She jumped up and dodged most of the dragons attacks, except one that caught her off guard. Ridley spat fire to the left then quickly switched direction when Samus jumped to the right, scorching her suit.

She yelped in pain as the heat ripped through her shielding causing it to malfunction, she no longer had any shields to cover her mistakes. Ridley took advantage of the small impairment diving down he slamed a huge clawed hand onto the chozo armoured teen pinning her against the hard, sharp, hot, rubble. Hindering her mobility, as more pain came as she attempted to move. The more she moved the tighter those claw got, trying her best to get into morph ball but to no avail the grip was to tight around her. One of Ridley's claws actually managed to puncture through her armour, into her waste, causing blood to gush out of the new wound.

"It will be nice to finally be able to rid of you this time, with no interruptions!" Ridely roared preparing to fire a charged blast at the weakened teen. Samus overestimated herself, she thought she would have been prepeared, and strong enough to take on the dragon, avenging those who died for her. But she was not quite strong, and skilled enough yet, and now she was going to die by the same thing that destroyed her family and home those few years ago.

As the two female spartans fired at the few remaining prometheans attempting to slow them down, Chief scaled the side of the building like it was a step ladder, reaching the top as Ridley released his fire breath. Ripping a grenade off the side of his leg, pulling the pin, he threw it, directly hitting beast in the face stopping the fire.

With an annoyed screech Ridley flapped his wings angrily taking off towards the planets atmosphere releasing Samus, with out anymore fight left in him. She hit the ground hard creating another cloud of dust from the hit. But Samus wasn't one to give up so easily, her last adrenalin rush mustered all the strength that was left in her, jumping to her feet, Samus continued to fire at the fleeing dragon. Once Ridley was out of site, the prometheans also disappeared. Exhausted, burnt, bleeding, beaten, Samus completely collapsed burnt armour recovering slowly from the damage.

"Samus!" Chief jumped down to Samus's side, scooping her exhausted almost unconscious form up into his arms, he could feel the burning heat from her armour emitting through to his hands. John climbed out carrying the overly exhausted, beaten teen, descending from the base he saw Linda and Kelly guarding the hovering pelican.

"Pelican has arrived." Kelly announced jogging over to Chief, walking beside her leader Kelly gazed down at the half conscious teen. "She looks dead almost, we have to get her to the med bay right away." Kelly told Fred over the comm channel.

"She seems weak at the moment, but I can't tell how injured she is with her armour still on." John replied climbing aboard the running pelican.

Linda and Kelly hopped in last Linda giving the go ahead for Fred to take off.

"Lay her on the floor, lets see if we can get her to take off the torched armour." Kelly said placing a fire blanket down on the floor for Samus to rest on.

Chief placed Samus carefully down on the blanket, trying to figure out a way to remove the scorched armour, Chief opened a compartment revealing a hologram projector.

"Where the fuck does she find all these things!?" Kelly gestured at the device Chief now had in his hand.

"Kelly focus!" Chief snapped silencing whatever else the sarcastic spartan would have said.

"Sorry, anyway I can see she has a huge gash on her left side high on her waste, but we can't stop the bleeding with her armour still on." Kelly returned her focus to her injured patient. "That dragon was a little too powerful for Samus to fight alone."

Guilt flooded Chief for leaving Samus alone with that horrid beast. "Linda take the device, Kelly go fly the pelican, Fred come help me with Samus." Chief didn't want to hear anymore comments.

"I know more about medicine then Fred does." Kelly mumbled taking the pilots seat.

Eveyone obliged the orders switching positions and studying the device. Fred knelt down on the other side of Samus and began examining her scorched body armour. "Her suits been completely cooked do you think she's burnt badly?" Fred's tone was worried, injured comrades always brought out a bit of panick in him. "We have to stop the bleeding from this wound, she also might have internal bleeding, keep her awake John, and Kelly speed up. Do think the kid will survive the injuries?"

"I'm flying this thing as fast as it can go Fred!" Kelly growled, she hated it when he dealt with injured people.

"Fred it is unknown at this point." John tried to keep his tone from sounding annoyed. "Samus" he called softly. "Remove your armour, we need to treat your wounds."

Samus weakly turned her head to stare at the spartan, from behind her visor obliging his request, her suit flared a couple times before dissolving completely.

Immediately the two began examining for any major damage inflicted apon the teens badly burned, and bruised form. "Only bruises, a gash wound, first degree burns to her body, and a second degree to her left arm as far as I can see. We should call command now, so medics can take her immediately, when we return." Fred implied, holding Samus down lightly, as they hit a small amount of turbulence.

Chief nodded in agreement sitting on the ground he scooped the teen up with the blanket holding her steadily through the mild turbulence.

"Kelly did you alert command we are on our way back?" Chief voice was directed to the cockpit.

"Yes I just got off the comm with them they have sick bay waiting for the kid, we will be landing in five." Kelly replied holding up five fingures.

Samus's eyes were bearly open from exhaustion, sleepy vision gave her a glimps of Chief's visor staring down at her, before she closed her eyes completely.

"You might want to keep her awake until the medics say it's alright for her to sleep." Fred's worried tone carried across the floor.

Kelly groaned from the cockpit "Give her a rest Fred, she just went through her first mojor one on one battle."

"Samus stay awake for few more moments." Chief softly encouraged as Kelly, and Fred spat at eachother.

Chapter 5 Part 2: Rocky Road To Recovery

Back inside the Infinity blue team was forced to ignore the teen that was rushed to the med bay, and stand reporting the mission at briefing.

"Samus found this sir." Linda handed the hologram projector device to the captin.

"Another holgraphic device?" Lasky questioned activating it.

"An activation index, this can't possibly be what that dragon beast would want." Lord Hood shook his head in disbelief.

"He's working with the Prometheans, and most likely in search of the Didact." Chief answered the Admirals question.

"So he is not deceased?" Lord Hood questioned blue teams leader.

"No sir I do not believe so." Chief admitted. "I believe he was sent into slipspace."

"No signs of the Didact have been reported yet. That beast must be collecting everything required for the awakening." Lasky mused.

"We shall call you when our experts get more information out of this holographic message."

It only took seconds for Blue team to arrive in the med bay. Where medics without question, lead them to a small recovery room. Where a couple of doctors were finishing up examining the weak, barely alive young teen. That yet still had enough fight left in her to refuse the medical testing. Her tired eyes caught glimps of the team entering the room brought a slight perk in the tired teen. "Chief!" with a weak voice Samus happily called her favourite spartan.

"Master Chief we could use a distraction." a female CMO walked over to the approaching team.

"Oh how so?" Kelly asked for Chief.

"We have been trying to do our last test on her for at least fifteen minutes, but she has been fighting us the whole time, calling us unimaginable names, and so on." the chief medic complained.

Kelly snickered under her breath. "That's our girl." the team hated treatment, it took them away from completing missions, it was mostly seen as a waste of time to them. Kelly was obviously not quiet enough, as Chief, and a few medics threw pointed looks at her. "How is she doing?" Kelly cleared her throat, as she proudly smiled behind her mask.

"Samus how are you feeling?" Chief began his distraction with a question.

"I'm tired... and a bit sore... that's all." Samus practically slurred as she fought to keep her eyes open.

Chief nodded for the CMO to begin her last tests, as he now had the teens full attention on himself. "I suppose you're going to deny the fact that your first one on one battle was painful?" Chief exhaled sitting down in a chair a medic pulled up for him to sit next to the berth Samus lay on.

Samus didn't want to admit it but she really didn't have the strength to argue with Chief. "Yes Chief it was painful." Samus gave a soft playful laugh.

"So you will listen to the doctors orders once they're done diagnosing you?" Chief kept his trivia going as the CMO finally finished.

"We'll see." Samus replied with a yawn closing her eyes.

"That's exactly how I would answer that." Kelly proudly remarked.

"Not helping Kelly." Fred leaned over the cocky females shoulder.

"What is her damage report?" Linda broke the ice between the medics, before a fight broke out between the two spartans.

"As far as we can diagnose nothing life threatening, her nervous systems are weakened from exhaustion, first degree burn to her body, she has second degree burns to her left arm, heavy internal soft tissue bruising, concussion, and a large gash to her left side of her waste which we have stitched up." the CMO reported flipping through her clipboard reports. "We highly recomend one day and one night of rest to fully recover from such inflicted wounds, if her condition worsens than a longer rest and more treatment is required. She seems to be recovering quicker with bed rest. So no running, jumping, training, etcetera. Then when she makes a full recovery, she may report back to the battle field for further missions to come."

Linda walked over placing a soothing hand on the teens shoulder. "Can she walk around after a day or so?" Linda queried.

Surprised at the sudden carrying act from a soldier such as a spatan was a rare event to see. But the woman understood that a younger sole could bring out the carrying emotions of a protective family out of the hardest hearts to reach. "She may. But only briefly, as she may be off balance, and may cause a slower recovery rate. But high odds are that she will be in far to much pain to even move the first day or so." She replied to the sharp shooting spartan's question. "You may leave her here under our care, or take her back to your quarters, and have us come on call if needed." The lady CMO gave the team the options.

Chief looked to the floor as he mulled over the options for a brief moment. The team could use a break from the teen, get their minds back on track, and away from the unnecessary family emotions over the said child. "Keeping her in your care will be just fine thank you doctor." Chief stood up and shook the females hand.

Kelly, Linda, and Fred all stared at there commanding officer in disbelief and shock. Hidden behind their masks were looks of confusion, and disbelief, their body stances made that clear enough to the medics around them.

Samus would have been heartbroken and confused as well, if she hadn't fallen asleep during her reported diagnoses.

The chief medical officer could feel the mass of emotions of disbelief brewing from the spartan team. "Very well then Master Chief, I assure you, and your team, that she's in well kept hands." the CMO smiled at the resting teen.

John nodded gazing one last time at the resting child. The team standing as if waiting for Chief to change his mind, to no avail John brushed past his stunned teammates, exiting quietly with a no turning back adittude.

The team exchanged looks for a moment, before solemnly exiting the med bay, kelly giving one last glance over her shoulder to the teen before exiting.

The team was silent walking down the corridor, it had been so long since they've had a silent walk down. Kelly was still trying to muster up the reason why Chief, who was the most attatched to the kid, could just flat out refuse to take her and help her recover. "What the hell was that!?" Kelly spat throwing her arms down in anger.

Chief knew that question was directed to him alone. "Kelly she will recover shortly." he simply replied.

"You know damn well that's not what I'm getting at." Kelly snapped hopping infront of her leader.

"We need to retrain our focus, we've lost our full function as a team, and Samus is the cause of it."

"What are you saying, we're in a rut when she's around us?" Kelly continued to fume.

"Haven't you noticed the change she's put in us?"

"I have yes, and I find it a change for the better." Kelly could no longer hold back what was on her mind. "She's brought us closer as a team, the kid has challenged and pushed our ability to protect at all costs, And how she has somehow brought back that playful, youthful, encouraging, sibbling role that Sam used to play when he was alive. Maybe not exactly like Sam but you get the point, I think!"

The team went dead quiet, as most of what Kelly ranted on about, was hitting the truth.

Chief said nothing further to add to the fire. He simply walked past the angered female and headed towards the training facilities.

Noticing her spike in emotions Kelly sighed. "Shit, maybe John's right." Taking a deep breath before continuing on down the corridor towards the track.

Linda and Fred looked at eachother with blank expressions.

"What's happening to us?" Linda shook her head.

"John might be right, I mean look at us arguing over a kid we rescued three years ago. Look how much we've changed, we've attached ourselves to a kid that's changed our emotions, and training against such things." Fred replied shaking his head as he followed Chief towards the combat sim.

Oddly to Linda that didn't at all sound that bad to her, she didn't mind the change, considering the team had been the same way for over twenty years. Some change was bound to happen to them at some point in their lives, and a child was just the icing on the cake. But Linda didn't mention her thoughts out loud yet, she would wait for the right moment to speak to John.

About an two hours later Samus awoke with extreme burning pain all over her body as it was now out of shock. To sore movem she only managed to emit small whimper. "Chief?" she called out in pain.

"Doctor your patient is waking." an unfimiliar male voice announced.

Fast walking footsteps approached her side. "Thank you Jeremy." a soft female voice replied.

Seeing a female doctor scanning her confused Samus. "Chief?" Samus called out once more this time in a weak confused voice.

With a sympathetic smile the female CMO spoke in her soft caring voice. "How are you feeling Samus?" the doctor ignored the teens calls for the spartan.

Samus stared at the doctor with fright, she knew nothing of this woman, and yet she knew her name. "Where's Chief?" Samus shakily asked once again.

"Chief left with the team two hours ago." Reading the teens frightened expression, the doctor changed the subject and introduced herself. "Sorry I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Cathrine Smith, you may call me Cathrine, I am the chief medical officer on this floor, and your caretaker." Cathrine gave Samus a warm smile.

Caretaker? Did Chief give her away to some random woman she didn't know? Chief said he would hold off on finding a caretaker for her. Why would he give her away now when she was almost old enough to take care of herself. Chief was usually the one to look after her, if she had gotten injured or sick, why the sudden change? All thoughts swam through her a head a million miles a minute.

"I will be your caretaker for this time, until you recover from you injuries, as the Master Chief seemed to busy at this time."

Samus was not comfortable being left alone with a doctor she barely knew. "How long until Chief comes back?"

"I don't know sweetheart perhaps after tomorrow when your free to go back into action." Cathrine sweetly responded changing Samus's gash wound bandages.

Samus hissed in pain as the loosening of the bandage around the tender flesh flared with pain.

Finally taking the bandage off the doctor appologized. "I'm sorry sweetheart I'm almost done."

Samus screwed her eyes shut tightly, as she held her breath in pain, while the doctor wiped off any excess fluids from the wound. "Ok this is going to sting a bit." Cathrine warned as she applied cleaning alcohol.

Samus winced and whined "Ow that stings!" Samus squirmed uncomfortably in pain.

Cathrine gave a small chuckle. "I did warn you it would sting." the doctor playfully replied.

Opening her eyes Samus exhaled, as the brief sting was soothed by healing ointments being applied along with a new bandage.

"There all done, I promise I wont touch it until tomorrow." Chathrine pulled off her gloves and washed her hands. "Are you hungry Samus?" she asked drying off her hands.

A slight hunger was brewing in Samus's stomach, but nothing to the point where she was hungry enough to eat just quite yet. "No." she quietly responded.

Cathrine sat down in the chair that was left for Chief. "Ok you let me know when you are ok?"

Samus nodded weakly as she gazed around the room.

"Well then do you want to play a game?" It was clear to Samus, and the other medics, that Cathrine had a soft spot for kids.

Tilting her head to face the doctor Samus sighed. "I can't move." she replied sorely from the pulsing pain inside of her. Although she was curious as to why the CMO wanted to play a game with a thirteen year old.

"We can play a game that requires only your eyes. It's a very old game but it's fun." Cathrine couldn't help but speak playfully.

"What game is that?" Samus's curiousity was begining to get the best of her.

"I Spy, it's a game were you spy something, then say the colour or shape of whatever you spotted, and the other person has to guess what you spied. You think you can do it?"

Samus grined, not wanting to be bored the whole time, she agreed. "No problem." Samus spoke confidently, this was going to be the easiest game ever.

"Ok I'll go first."

Then again Samus thought, as she was in a room full of equipment, and people, she had no clue what their rank, or names of the equipment, or other objects were.

"I spy with my little eye... something that is... blue!" the doctors enthusiasm was refreshing, compared to the usual monotone unenthusiastic Chief, who had a barely noticable dry humour.

Looking around Samus could see little to no blue objects in the room. "Um... the curtains?" Samus guessed the curtains were more of a green teal colour rather then blue.

"Nope your cold." Cathrine sat back in her seat.

"Um your cup?" Samus gestured her head to the navy blue coffee cup the doctor held, on a small table next to her.

"Oh yeah I have coffee! Thanks for reminding me." Cathrine cheerfully sipped her coffee.

Samus gave a barely audible giggle, at the small burst of goofy happiness, the doctor made over a simple cup of coffee.

"And no it wasn't my delicious coffee." The doctor replied to Samus's guess.

Samus continued to laugh, but was running out of blue objects, the only other blue thing she could think of was her zerosuit hanging off a hook next to a picture on the wall. "Is it my zerosuit?!"

"You got it! Your turn now."

"Wait why is my..."

"We had to take it off in order to treat your wounds, don't worry you have a medical gown on."

"I spy... um..."

"With my little eye." Cathrine aided the teen with the begining of the game.

"With my little eye... something... that is... grey." Samus finished.

Cathrine placed crossed her legs resting one on the other. "Grey huh? Let me think hmmm." she looked around tapping a fingure on her chin.

Samus kept a smile on her face as she waited for the doctor to begin guessing.

"Is it the curtain rails?" Cathrine guessed pointing up to the cieling.

"No"

"Ok that empty food tray over there?"

"Nuh uh." Samus shook her head.

"The walls?" Cathrine inhaled.

"Nope." Samus smiled.

"Alright, I give up, what is it?" the CMO sighed looking back at Samus.

"It's the floor!" Samus finally gave up her answer.

"Oh that was a good one, that would have been my next guess damn!" Cathrine playfully scolded the young teen.

Samus tuanted. "Sure you would have" giggling at the scolding.

"Funny Samus. But you know I would have." Cathrine put her hands on her hips.

After the laughing died down, Samus's stomach decided to make itself present with a loud hungry growl. Samus's eyes went wide, her face flushed red with slight embarrassment.

The CMO just chuckled at the teens reaction. "I guess your stomach has spoken, I will go grab you some food." She stood up.

"Thank you." Samus smiled nervously.

"Not a problem sweetheart, you think we can get you to sit up?" Cathrine bent down to be level with Samus.

Just the thought of moving hurt, but just laying around all day, she didn't want to get stiff. Samus nodded reluctantly, she began to move her legs, wincing in pain from the movement.

"Whoa there cowgirl let me help you up." Cathrine carefully began lifting Samus slowly.

Samus attempted to push up with her arms, but ended up yelping in pain, from the burns and strained muscles.

"No no no Samus, just relax, I got you." the CMO cooed setting Samus's limp body into an upright position.

Samus hung her head in shame, as this was practically the first in time in while, that she couldn't move around with out aid.

Cathrine sensed the depression and decided to reassure the girl. "Samus your bodies muscles have shut down from exhaustion, they've went into repair mode, you can't help it if you can't move, you went through a really big battle."

"Didn't seem like a giant battle, it's just something my body will have to get used to, for when we go after that bastard again."

"Samus don't be running into battle head first with angered emotions, that's how you get killed." the CMO warned exiting the room.

Unbelievable that's the exact same thing Chief said to her on the mission, before all this happened. Did all the adults think alike?

John stood off to the side while Kelly and Fred went head to head with sparring. Meanwhile Linda was on the approach after cleaning her sniper.

"John can I speak with you?" Linda asked permission to speak with her leader.

"Yes Linda you may." Chief didn't move a muscle.

"Do you think change is good?"

It seemed like an odd question but Chief replied. "I suppose why?"

"Our team has been running the same way for more then ten years at the least just the three of us. Same drills, same formations, the same ageing team members." Linda practically started a rant.

Chief finally turned his head to look at the female spartan standing beside him.

Linda kept her gaze straight ahead at the two being sparring. "The one small change to happen to us in all these years. Was pushed away today, we almost lost that change in battle today. But you and that new found, unique protective mode that change has gifted you with, saved her life today. Personally I hated change. But like you change has gifted me with an ability to adapt. I know we swore nothing would ever fill Sam's place. But a new addition that resembles his playful personality I don't have a problem with. I don't speak for the others of this team but they don't seem to mind the change either. We can't be affraid of change foever it will happen eventually." Linda ended he speech with little to no emotion and joined the two sparring.

Watching the other spartans train John felt like there was someone that wasnt there training with them. Sam was first to come to mind. The encourgment and reassurance of Sam always backing up his plans and ideas with a cheerfull tone always made Chief feel ten times stronger when he was told so. Samus was like a brother to him always saying that nothing could break or take them down almost making them sound invincible. Samus practically did the same only in a different manner. Thinking the world of him, like nothing could ever kill him. No matter how angry or upset he was with her she always warmed up to him ignoring his emotions. Encouraging him to join the team in group training exercises, Pushing to their limits, pushing them to their final nerves, their skills of protecting what needs to be protected. Guilt of leaving the girl in the med bay alone with stragers filled his entire body. Forcing him to march right out of the training facilities.

"Where's John going?" Fred questioned catching his breath.

"He's embracing change." Linda replied handing Fred some water.

Cathrine was going over medical reports, with some other medics in the med bay, when the doors swooshed open revealing a large green armoured spartan. "Excuse me for a moment." Cathrine quickly excused herself from the group of medics.

"Master Chief have you come to visit your recovering, youngest, teammate?" the CMO greeted.

"She's not a team membe... yes I have." Chief changed his wording.

"Right this way. She just finished eating, and has now fallen asleep, but I'm sure she won't mind a visitor." Cathrine lead Chief to the small recovery room.

"Thank you doctor." John replied stopping infront of the rooms door.

"Not a problem sir, besides she was calling out your name, when she woke a few hours ago." the female doctor mentioned. "I will be with you shortly to let you know how she's recovering." Cathrine said before walking off rejoining the other medics.

Chief sighed at the news he recieved, feeling guilt for leaving the teen with strangers. He entered the room, quiet as can be, he walked over to the chair left beside Samus's bed. Taking a seat he rested his arm on the small table between him and the head of the bed. He watched as the steady rise of her chest indicated that her breathing was healthy. Placing his large hand softly under Samus's smaller right one, a small smile formed behind his mask of gold, as Samus's slender petite fingures gripped his large ones very lightly almost unoticible to the unsensitive touch.

"She's quite the kid." The voice surprised the spartan, he turned his head to the door to see the CMO leaning against the doorframe.

"So I've been told." Chief's dry humour hung in there, as he sat up straight in the chair.

"I'm Cathrine by the way." the doctor held out a hand to shake.

Chief reluctantly pulled his right hand away from Samus and shook the doctors hand. "Cathrine?" Chief replied in a questioning tone.

"I'm no Cathrine Halsey trust me sir." She chuckled walking to the other side of the bed to check on IV bag.

"Of course I just... So how is she doing?" Chief awkwardly changed the subject.

"She's in a lot of pain, muscles have completely shut down, she can barely move, I had to assist in feeding her. I may have diagnosed her recovery rate wrong. Whatever that dragon is, he's obviously no walk in the park on the pain infliction scale. She may have further damage that we have not detected do to the swelling." Cathrine replaced the IV bag.

Chief shook his head at the new medical problems, mentally kicking himself for not climbing right back up that building, and ignoring the knights that distracted him from reaching the teen.

"She will survive sir, her recovery rate just may slow down." the doctor reassured the upset spartan.

Chief sighed placing his hand back under Samus's he was now changing himself to what Samus had molded him into. But his rule was to only be changed when he was around her, and his team, nobody else but them could possibly change him.

While the spartan and doctor spoke, Samus began to squirm uncomfortably, as she slept almost in a fighting manner.

Chief swung his whole body over the side of the chair to face Samus, watching the teen with concern. "What's happening?" he asked with great concern in his tone as the teens movements became more violent.

"I'm not certain her heart rate fast paced at the moment but no apparent reason as to why." Cathrine hopped on the near by computer linked to Samus's vital signs.

Samus was in the middle of a battle with Ridley the spartan team by her side. The battle was brutal, the team and Samus both getting beaten to death by the dragon. Soon Ridley knocked Samus off her feet and stomped on her pinning her with his foot. "Now watch as your family perishes!" Ridley cackled as his fire began charging. "No!" Samus cried trying to break free. "Samus!" Chief cried out running to her aid, but it was to late. Ridley spewed his hot molten fire breath across the battle field, vaporising Kelly, Linda, Fred, and Finally Chief who was inches away from her. His burnt remains landing on her visor, while Ridley cackled wildly. "Your turn brat lights out!"

The last thing Samus saw was flames, before she abruptly shot up in bed, crying Chief's name. "Chief!" she screamed as a wave of pain rippled through her body.

The sudden scream made the medics in the bay puase their work, as they listened waiting for the CMO to come through the recovery room door, and possibly give them orders. But nothing came, they all went back to work with their ears open.

Chief promptly scooped Samus up off the bed, as he quickly moved his seating position to the bed. He held the young teen in his arms, not caring if the doctor saw his actions. He was being protective and it was his job, was his excuse.

Samus seemed to not care for the pain at the moment, as she swung her arms around the Spartans neck, she embraced his armoured body for comfort.

"I'm here Samus I'm here." Chief replied placing a hand on the back of her head and an arm around her body in an embraced hug. This was this first time in years since he's actually hugged someone. Considering he had forgotten how to, this was strictly instinct, like when Samus had a nightmare when she was younger.

"Ridley killed Kelly... Linda... and Fred... Then... You!" Samus caughed through tears.

Nightmare of course she had one, she hadn't had a nightmare since Ridley was last mentioned to her three years ago. "He won't Samus, it never happened, and it never will." Chief spoke firmly.

"But he kills everyone I know!" Samus continued her frantic tears.

"Not this time Samus, I will make sure of it, the team will make sure of it." Chief reassured Samus.

Samus's crying simmered down as she chocked on the last few tears, her adrenalin dropped, and her searing body pain returned. She cried out in pain, as her body went limp, from her reminded exhaustion.

"I think she should lay back down sir." Cathrine pointed to the bed the spartan sat on.

"Oh of course." Chief stood up, carefully laying Samus back into the soft bed, he covered her with blankets and sat back down in the chair.

Placing a hand on the teens forehead the doctor sighed. "She has a bit of a fever." she said wrighting on her clipboard. "I'm going to grab a glass of cold water for her she's getting a little dehydrated as well, would you like anything sir?" Cathrine asked as she headed toward the door.

"No just tend to her please." Chief respectfully declined the offer.

"Yes Master Chief of course." Cathrine opened the door to be met by three spartans in jumpsuits. "Oh wow the whole teams here for you Samus, go on in, I will be right back." the CMO squeesed passed the spartans.

"Hi guys." Samus greeted with a weak but cheerfull smile.

"Hey kid how are you feeling?" Fred asked standing next Chief.

"Everything hurts." Samus complained wincing at a random pulse of pain.

Kelly and Linda stood on the right side of the bed opposite from the males. "Have you been moving much, fighting of nurses, and giving the doctor a hard time?" Kelly playfully asked before getting scolded by Chief.

"Ha no, the doctor is actually really nice, we played a game." Samus giggled at the Kelly.

"Huh, must have a real soft spot for kids." Linda leaned into Kelly.

"Probably, the kid would drive all the other ones crazy." Kelly chuckled.

Instead of protesting the lady spartans conversation, Samus a gave a small shiver, as if a cold gust of wind went by. The young teen got a cold sweat, while her fever spiked for a brief moment.

"You don't look so great kid." Kelly placed her hand on Samus's forehead.

"She has a fever." Chief sighed watching Kelly examine the teen for herself.

Touching the teens arm Kelly scoffed. "Yeah she's ice cold John, I think it's more than just, a fever!" Kelly snapped.

"Didn't she have giant gash wound, high on her left side of her waste?" Linda mentioned to Kelly.

Kelly leaned over Samus pulling the blankets off, she practically ripped the gown off on the left side.

"Infected, I bet they only used regular crap on this wound, fuck sakes we've been fighting aliens for how long now?!" Kelly stomped off towards the door enraged.

Cathrine opened the door as soon as Kelly reached it. "Oh good you've returned, now turn your ass around, and go get the strongest healing ointment you can find!" Kelly took the glass of water out the doctors hand.

"Our strongest ointment isn't safe to use on young teens, she could get very ill." Cathrine replied to the enraged spartan.

"And she's not now!? Find whatever is strong enough to be safely used on her, logic is key!" Kelly practically pushed the CMO out the door.

Meanwhile Linda found a cloth and began wiping sweat away from Samus's forehead.

"Kelly!" Chief snapped in a firm tone.

"Kelly you don't think that was a little harsh?" Fred folded his arms.

"I'm sorry, is she the one with the infected wound? Why don't you two make yourselves useful, and sit her up, and give the kid some water!" Kelly pretty much dropped the glass of water onto Chief's lap.

Fred didn't want to argue lifting the teen gently into a sitting position.

John took the glass in hand, and attempted to hand Samus the glass, while Kelly undressed her wound. "You have to have some water Samus. Please take it."

Linda stood across from the two males shaking her head with her arms folded and one eyebrow raised.

"Yes Linda if you wish to give some advice please do." Chief sighed gazing up at the red head.

"She can't drink on her own at the moment until her nervous system regains enough strength for her muscles to work." Dr. Cathrine snuck up behind the two. "This might help." she handed Chief a straw while she gave Kelly the cleaning alcohol and new ointment and bandages. "I will let you handle this Kelly, I will be in the bay if you need me." Cathrine left the female medical spartan in charge of the situation.

Chief placed the straw in the glass and held it infront of Samus's mouth. "Please take a sip Samus, it will give you strength." Chief encouraged the teen to drink the water.

Samus sighed, weakly taking the straw in her lips, she sipped from it, recieving the cold water into her system it gave her a small amount of strength.

Chief gave a breath of relief when he saw Samus rehydrating herself with the water.

Moments later Samus spat a mouth full of water onto herself, and Chief's armoured hand, when Kelly applied the alcohol to her wound. "Sorry Chief!" Samus hissed in pain.

"I'm armoured I won't melt. But you're soaked." Chief gave an attempt at teasing the teen.

Samus pouted at Chief rolling her eyes at the tease.

"Alright keep drinking you need your strength." Chief smiled behind his mask.

Samus sighed, once more taking a big mouth of water, she this time spat all over herself, Chief, and Kelly caused from the sting of the alcohol.

Knocking the glass into Chief's lap Kelly hissed. "Ok no more water!" Kelly wiped the spit water off her face.

"Thank you Kelly!" Chief would have had to hold a chuckle back if it wasn't for the fact that Kelly threw water into his lap.

Fred tried to hide his chuckle at John.

"Go find a towel." Chief growled handing Fred the empty glass.

It was a complete comedy act, Samus was enjoying watching her spartan family, and secretly the team enjoyed acting like a family for once instead of a drill team 24/7.

"Ow!"

"Sorry kid just wrapping you up now. Glad to see looking better." Kelly smiled at the teen.

"I wish I could move better." Samus sighed as Kelly finished wrapping.

"Well you can just be our human noolde." Kelly teased as she stood back up.

"Hey!"

Linda chuckled for once in her life. "Give it time kid you'll be back to normale soon enough."

"Hey Fred did you find that towel?" Kelly turned around.

"Here." Fred tossed a clean towel to the medical spartan.

"Sorry if this hurts kiddo." Kelly warned as she began to dab Samus dry.

While Kelly dried off the teen Chief headed out towards the door.

"Chief where are you going?" Samus asked as if she wanted to go with.

"Boy you don't miss a beat do you?" Kelly sighed turning to see her leader by the door.

"I'm going to get out of this armour I will be back." Chief reassured as he exited the room.

"How's it going in there, is she all dressed up now?" Cathrine met Chief by the bay door.

"Yes she's feeling a lot better now thank you." Chief replied.

"You're so protective over her, so fatherly, it's sweet. That's probably why you denied finding her a caregiver three years ago. Having a different kind of protective setting in your mind is good for a change." Cathrine gave a warm smile to the spartan who seemed to tense at her sentence.

Chief began to wonder if Cathrine would ever shut up.

"Don't worry your secrets safe with me." she winked before walking off into Samus's room.

Feeling like he was glued to the floor with what the doctor said. The words tore open that erge to push away from the the teen. He quickly denied the thought when he reminded himself of how he regreted ignoring the teen deeply after seeing Samus in tears after she saw his fake death in a nightmare.

Chief shortly returned into the recovery room, to see Kelly and Linda telling stories sitting on the bed with Samus, and Fred sitting on the chair looking bored out of his mind while the girls babled on.

"Chief!" Samus pratically shouted she was so happy to see the leader return. Causing Fred to jump to his feet in surprise.

"Eveyone seems to be comfortable here?" Chief exhaled happily, as Fred sat back down.

"Yeah I think Fred stole your seat." Kelly kicked the other male spartan back out of the chair.

"Dammit Kelly!" Fred growled jumping up like he was going to tackle Kelly.

"Take it outside if you two are going to argue!" John warned pointing the two to the door.

"Very well then come on Frederick." Kelly teased calling Fred by his full name.

"Kelly you are dead!" Fred chased the cocky female spartan out of the room.

"No running." Cathrine called out walking into the recovery room with a stack of chairs.

Chief was kind enough to take the chairs and set them in room for when the others returned.

"Thanks. I'll be back in a minute with some more water." Cathrine left as fast as she arrived.

Sitting back down in his chair Chief exhaled. "How are you feeling now tired Samus?" John couldn't help but smile at the tired blue eyes trying to focus on him.

"Her fever is down now but she's still in a lot of pain." Linda replied sitting in a chair instead of the bed with Samus.

Sitting back in his chair Master Chief spoke out of hope. "I hope she recovers soon she's the only one that knows the last bit of information on Ridley before he took off."

"She will tell us when good and healthy John. She will probably have enough energy to chat your ears off tomorrow, you know how she is." Linda raised an eyebrow at her leader.

"I'm still awake." Samus slurred.

"Sorry you do get chatty though." Linda shrugged.

Samus yawned slipping downwards in the bed, wanting to lay down. She was met by strong hands lifting her back up, sitting her up straight once more. "Not just yet Samus." Chief sat back down.

"Here's that water, try not to get it all over yourselves this time." Cathrine smiled handing the Master Chief a new glass of water.

"Funny." Kelly rolled her eyes sitting down in the chair next to Chief, taking the glass from him.

"Where's Fred?"

"I'm here kid, Kelly won't be the one to rid of me, I promise you." Fred sat next to Linda instead of Chief. "Kelly your in the splash zone again." Fred teased.

"I'm not placing alcohol on anymore wounds, so i'm fine, thanks for caring though."

Kelly tried to force feed Samus the water. "Drink please I don't care if your tired you need to stay hydrated."

Samus went wide eyed as Kelly tried to shove a glass down her throat.

"Kelly stop, if she dosen't want any, don't force it down her throat." Fred scoffed taking the water away.

"Oh yeah I forgot you could read minds!" Kelly slamed her hand on her lap.

Chief confiscated the glass of water from Fred and sighed. "Would you like a straw Samus?"

"Sure Chief thank you." Samus gave a thankful small nod.

Finally finishing her glass of water without spilling a drop. "Ok I'm done, can I lay down now?" Samus yawned trying to slide down again.

"Sure kid." Linda helped Samus lay down in the berth.

"Thanks Linda."

"You're about ready to pass out kiddo. We should probably head out and let you rest." Kelly placed a hand on Samus's head for a brief moment.

"Yeah it's pretty late, we'll see you tomorrow morning ok?" Linda followed Kelly out the door.

"Ok." Samus tiredly replied.

"John you coming with?" Fred asked standing in the doorframe.

"No I'm going to stay and make sure she will be ok." Chief answered gesturing to the half awake teen.

"She's not a little kid that has to be watched 24/7 anymore John. Plus there's twenty doctors to help her if something goes wrong."

Chief gazed back at Samus before turning back he gave a pointed look back at Fred.

"No doctor is better then doctor John 117. See you tomorrow morning John." Fred sighed leaving with the girls.

"You know I can handle taking care of her sir. You did leave her in my care after all." Cathrine sat on the opposite side of the bed.

"I understand Doctor, I'm just here to make sure she rests properly. She has a record for not listening to orders." Chief sat with his back straight up against the back of his chair.

"Do not." Tired slurring brought the spartans attention back to teen.

"Samus you wanted to sleep, why aren't you sleeping?"

"I'm not tired now." Samus tried her best to hide the sleep in her voice.

Remembering the teen had had a nightmare earlier, Chief decided to ask the question. "Is this because of the nightmare you had?"

Samus shrunk feeling embarrassed, she didn't want to seem childish for being afraid of a nightmare, infront of another adult such as Cathrine.

"It's ok to be affriad of a nightmare Samus, we have lots of soldiers that have them, in this type of job it's more common than you think." Cathrine reassured the embarrassed young teen.

"Yes I just don't want Chief to..." Samus sadly looked away.

"I'll let you two speak, I'll be back in fifteen." Cathrine left the two to speak in private.

"Samus what happened when you fought Ridley? I understand if you don't want to talk about it." Chief spoke sympathetically.

Figuring the spartan was speaking about the dragons future plans Samus sighed heavily. "He had some sort of wierd object that looked like a key, and said he was going to destroy the human race with somebody."

"Ridley talks? Sorry thank you for telling me that Samus. But I meant what did Ridley really say that scared you, clearly he must have said something that is haunting your mind." As much as Chief was overjoyed to have the information needed, his sympathetic side wanted to help the young teen.

Replaying the earlier battle today the disturbing image of Ridley eating scorched human flesh that was possibly her parents ran across her mind. Causing hyperventilation a wicked pain in her stomach came as it churned, the image was so distubring she had to vomit.

Lifting Samus up straight so she could breath better, Chief yelled for the doctor, as Samus got sick.

Cathrine came in only seconds later "What's going on Chief?" Cathrine began wiping the mess off the teen. "We need to get her out of the bed and cleaned. Stomach acid wont help her burns heal. There's a washroom right through that door, get her ready and I will be there in a moment."

Chief wasn't completely comfortable with the situation, he didn't want to reopen any wounds when washing her, so he called Kelly for back up. Because she would be the fastest to arrive, and she had the most medical training. He took the vomit soaked gown off Samus and placed it in a laundry hamper.

Kelly was quick to arrive. 'Shit are you alright kid?" Kelly asked as Chief handed the young teen to her.

"She got sick after I asked her a question, I don't know if something in her body made her sick, or it was a reaction to my question." Chief replied standing in the doorframe facing the recovery room.

"It might have very well just been her getting sick from her injuries, so what was you're question?" Kelly replied washing the vomit off of Samus with a warm soapy cloth.

"I just asked her about Ridley. The dragon defintely has the activation index, and he definetely is planing an attack with the soon to be risen Didact."

"Wait a minute, did you force Samus to talk about her encounter with her arch nemesis?!" Kelly snapped.

"I asked her about it, and told her she didn't have to talk about it if she didn't want to."

"Of course she's going to answer you, the kid will do anything for you!"

Samus wanted to stop the argument, having barely any strength to talk, all she could do was squeak. The spartan's stopped their argument turning their attention back to her, as she tried to speak.

Chief backed into the washroom, when Cathrine approached. "Here I have a towel and a clean gown for her." Cathrine passed the towel and clothing to the female spartan behind the Chief.

"Thank you doctor." Kelly dried and redressed Samus, handing the sore teen, back to her leader.

"We wheeled a new bed in, so the other one is getting cleaned." Cathrine explained the spotless new bed.

Chief nodded at the doctor in acknowledgement. "Are you alright now Samus?" Chief asked, placing the young body down on the new bed.

Samus didn't have the strength to talk or make any noise anymore. She was over exhausted, the disturbing image still lingered in her head, and she felt so nauseous, that the slightest move, made her feel like she could vomit her entire stomach. Secretly wishing Ridley was there, so she could just slaughter the dragon once and for all, ending this torture.

"Samus?"

Kelly covered Samus with a blanket, as the teen lay completely still. "She probably dosen't have the energy to speak, plus she looks as pale as a ghost, so my guess would be no, no she isn't alright." Kelly answered Chief's calls.

Chief felt bad for asking those questions about Ridley, clearly the dragon was more sickening, then he had anticipated. Wishing he knew what the beast did, or said to make Samus fall into this state, all he could do was sit beside her, and hope she felt better soon.

It was silent for a few moments, everyone in deep thought, until a meek shakey voice began to speak. "He told... me about... the aftermath... of the... attack on my... home planet..."

"What did he do at the aftermath?" Chief turned his body to face the young teen.

"John she should preserve her energy don't let her speak."

Samus took a deep breath, mustering up what little energy she had. "He said he ate... the human remains... eating the burnt, scorched, and torn flesh such as my parent, for his own survival."

Cathrine gasped in disgust and disbelief at such a terrible scene. The image being so disturbing, even Kelly cringed at the thought of a beast so disturbing, eating the remains of family members.

Chief had a flash of a similar situation when he first encountered a Halo, The Flood. That smell of burning flesh, the sound of the parasites feeding of corpses, tearing living beings apart to take over their still very functional mind!

"He plans to kill you guys next... I don't want the same thing to happen." Samus cried, snapping Chief out of his flashback.

"It's not going to happen Samus. We'll burn his ass, before he can touch ours, or yours." Kelly promised.

"Samus I think you're over thinking this, it's time we leave, and go to bed ourselves. You should get some rest now." Cathrine finally spoke standing up from her chair.

"Yeah kiddo, you will probably feel better, after you get some rest." Kelly followed the doctor to the door. "John you coming?"

"No."

"She needs her rest though." Kelly argued her leader.

Chief was not about to leave the teens side, she needed to feel safe, and he was the one that would keep her safe. "No she needs someone here with her."

Kelly obliged with a sympathetic nod, bidding Samus a goodnight.

After hours of promising, and confincing the young teen that he would protect her, Samus finally fell asleep after Chief had explained how the Flood situation was similar to her Ridley story. After feeling he understood what she was going through, she finally agreed to Chief's request, and fell into a deep sleep.

The spartan had his right elbow resting on that small table between him and the bed. Chief himself, wasnt far from nodding off, as he held his head in his hand, trying to keep his eyes from drooping.

"Psst Master Chief sir." the familiar voice of a female doctor whispered.

Chief jumped, siting up straight, hearing the voice and knock at the door.

"Sorry sir didn't mean to wake you."

He glanced one more time at the slumbering teen, before walking over to the doctor. "Yes Cathrine?" ignoring the apology.

"Lord Hood wishes to speak with you, he's just outside the room, would you like me to invite him in?"

"Yes."

Bowing her head in acknowledgment the CMO presented the Admiral as he strode passed her, she quietly shut the door behind her as she exited.

"Evening Chief." Lord Hood's old voice was already quiet, but he had the courtesy, to tone it down even lower for the sleeping patient.

"Sir." Chief respectfully saluted.

Gazing past the spartan, to the slumbering teen, Lord Hood exhaled. "At ease Chief. How is the childs recovery?"

"Recovering slowly sir. Further trauma may be detected later on, through further testing."

"Has she spoke of the encounter, any new leads about the index?" Lord Hood approached the recovering teens berth.

"Yes sir, Ridley and the Didact are going to fire the rings, that is confirmed. But I believe the Didact has not yet been found, as the Promethean's seem to be under Ridley's command for the time being. The Didact's life signs are not confirmed yet sir."

Turning back to face the spartan the admiral thoughtfully put his hand on his wrinkled chin. "We will have to track down this Ridley, and see if he leads us to the Didact. I'm assigning your team to this assignment, since you seem to have the most information on this new foe. Gather as much Didact information from Ridley as you can, then take Ridley out, no need to have two major foes alive. If you take Ridley out, it will either slow the process of resurrection, or completely eradicate it."

"Samus will have to give me more intel, before we go after Ridley, sir. I believe she may have more information on where the dragon is heading."

"Fine, just get that information and put it to use, you are going after the Didact, weather the girl is recovered, or not." the admiral spoke in a firm tone.

"Yes sir." Chief replied as the admiral exited the room.

Samus was not going to be happy if the team had to leave with out her. But he had no choice, he was given his direct orders, and Chief intended to follow them.

"You know she wont recover in time right?" a soft female voice approached.

"I am prepared for that, unfortunetly once she is mobile, you will be the one that has to prepare for battle." the spartan replied sitting back down in his chair.

"Oh is that so?" Chathrine raised an eyebrow.

"Samus is quite a determined girl, and will stop at nothing to join us in the field, you will have to restrain her from leaving."

"It all depends on how fast she recovers, who knows these last few brutal hours might have just been the worst part, and is now flushed out of her system onto a steady recovery." Cathrine shrugged, no to sure on how she would keep the teen out of trouble, if it came to the team leaving with out Samus. "Anyway, I've got work to catch up on, call me if something happens."

With a deep exhale Chief was relieved to finally be left alone. Happy Samus was content, and resting peacfully, he hoped she had enough strength by tomorrow, to give him the needed information.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi readers I may have butchered the Didact scene changing the ending after the battle but I think it turned out ok. Considering I didn't think I could possibly get through this chapter.**

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Chapter 6: Hell Bent

Morning came and Samus woke up as stiff as a board now able to move her mobility came with a price of pain rippling through her. But the upside was she felt more energetic not to her usual full extent of youthful energy, but still more refreshed then yesterday.

A quiet almost barely audible snoring caught her attention. Looking to her left she saw Chief passed out on the chair next to her. Samus pulled herself to the edge of the bed reaching out as far as she could she went to poke the spartan. Her arm shaking from holding up her weight Samus was inches away before her arm completely gave out causing her to briefly brush the spartans heavily muscled arm before slamming her upper body into the side of the bed. "Ow!"

Chief opened his eyes to the feeling of something brushing his arm his vision was already set on the half empty bed infront of him. Knocking the sleep out of his head he finally heard a pain filled groan coming from below. "Samus what are you doing!?" Chief quickly lifted the teen back onto the bed.

"I was trying to wake you up." Samus replied with smile.

"Mission accomplished."

"Oh like you've never lost your balance trying to poke someone." Samus scoffed folding her arms.

Smiling he replied. "I can't recall a time when I have no." Chief raised an eyebrow.

Samus rolled her eyes.

"You're finally awake." Cathrine entered with coffee in hand.

"She sure is now that she's right side up." Chief exhaled.

"Not going to question that. How are you doing today Samus?"

Samus pulled herself up sorely nodding in response. "Better now can I get back to training now?" John instinctively helped the young teen sit up.

Cathrine tapped her clipboard. "Whoa there little filly until I do another full assesment of your recovery you're not going anywhere near a battle simulator or the field."

"But I'm so bored." Samus complained.

"Well have some breakfast first and then we will begin some tests ok?" Cathrine sighed patting Samus on the head.

Feeling like this recovery was a waste of time turning to the spartan for an answer. "Chief?" she whined.

"I agree with the doctor Samus it's for your safety and health." John stood up to stretch his arms.

Cathrine made her way out the door. "I'm going to get your breakfast don't you leave."

"I'm going to go find the team and speak to them for a while I should be back soon ok?" Chief followed the CMO.

Wanting to follow the spartan around rather than lay in bed Samus rolled her eyes. "Ok..." Samus sighed hiding her irritation.

"I wont be long I promise."

Smiling Samus nodded letting the spartan leave as breakfast arrived.

Making his way to the traning arena he knew he would find his team training there. "John you finally pried yourself away from the kid huh?" Kelly was the first to greet the team leader.

"Yes Kelly I can manage I've got some news." Chief replied stopping in the middle of the team.

"What did the kid do now?"

"Nothing we are assigned to a mission we are hunting and taking out Ridley."

"Do we have any leads on where he is headed?" Linda queried leaning to her left.

"Samus was the one who spoke with him I'm positive she has the answer to his whereabouts."

"Well then lets go shake the answers out of her." Kelly walked towards the exit.

"She's busy." Chief stopped the speedy spartan.

Kelly quirked an eyebrow. "Doing what laying in bed?"

"No the doctor is going to do some tests to see how she is recovering." Chief replied.

"We'll then may as well be back up." Kelly exited.

Chief was confused by the last words Kelly said. "Back up?"

"John the kid was fantastic the last time the medics tried testing her remember?" Linda brushed passed her leader.

"Right I'm coming." Chief exhaled following his team in tow.

Entering the med bay all eyes were on the team it was as if a gang of Elites had invaded. Seeing the spartans visit multiple times not on the account of being injured was an odd site.

"Good and ready for testing?" Cathrine waited for the teens reply.

"Can I leave after?"

"That's why we are doing these tests to confirm if you are fit and stable enough to return to normale activities." Cathrine explained for the hundredth time just as the spartans arrived.

Chief moved himself and the team to the far right from the door standing in the corner letting the doctors have as much room as they needed for the testing. Four other medics not counting Cathrine were prepping to deal with the young teen.

John knowing Samus the best out of anyone knew straight away this situation was not going to work. The teen hated strangers especially when handling her if she was unable to do activities herself. Even the rest of the team tensed clearly they had the same thoughts going through their minds. Kelly even took the smallest most unnoticed step forward holding herself back from mention what was about to happen. While Samus herself tensed up holding her breath as the medics approached her.

Chief took the finale straw and snapped it walking over to the approaching medics to give some words of wisdom to the CMO. "Dismiss your medics." Chief put an arm up infront of the medics stopping them in their tracks.

"Master Chief sir they are here to aid with the tests." Cathrine didn't carry an angry or irritated tone mostly just confusion lingering through.

"Promise me you'll be doing your medics and yourself a favour if you just let us help instead." Kelly stepped in begining to scare the doctors away.

The medics hesitated to leave as their CMO had not given them direct orders. "Go then I will take your offer." Cathrine gave in sitting down at the small compute, that held Samus's vital signs.

Linda and Fred were polite enough to even escort the doctors to the door shutting it behind them.

Samus released a sigh of relief when she saw the medics leave she was more than thankful that her favourite spartan had stepped in to bail her out of what could have been hours of struggling with strangers.

Transferring the vitals onto a data pad Cathrine stood up and approached the bed. "Alright Samus let's begin with some simple mobility tests. Can you move your arms up straight out at chest level."

"Sure... thing..." Samus slowly and painfully fought off the resistance to keep them by her side. Only holding her arms up for a mere 10 seconds Cathrine scribbled on her data pad before requesting the next test.

"Ok can you sit up without a back support." Cathrine motioned for the spartans the to move the teen in an upright position away from the stack of pillows she was supported on.

Chief was hesitant to move his hand from supporting the teen he could feel her body tremble as she prepared to support herself moving his hand away as slowly as possible.

As the hand left her back Samus held her breath as her ab muscles strained a sharp pain in her rib cage and spine caused her to collapse back into the large hand waiting for her.

"Ok Samus we're going to try to walk now before I do some scans on you. You feeling up for it?" Cathrine asked finishing up wrighting on the data pad.

"Yeah of course." Samus already knew she was going to have horrific pain when walking but she didn't care she wanted to get out as fast as possible.

Cathrine nodded for the spartans to begin lifting Samus off the bed onto the ground. Placing the young teen on the floor Chief refused this time to release the girl from his hold she shook more violently as she began to step across the floor.

Something in her back kept flaring and transmitting a sharp intense pain he gave in after her fourth step.

Chief now completely supported the limp teens wieght. Gazing up at the spartan Samus sighed. "I'm not going to leave am I?" Master Chief didn't respond he was waiting until the test were done.

Cathrine walked over to the spartan and teen. "Ok Samus I'm going to quickly do some x-ray scans your swelling has gone down quite a bit so we shall be able to detect any breaks or fractures. Master Chief if you could just hold her there I can just quickly scan her and we'll be done."

Master Chief held Samus up as the CMO scanned her the team watched as Samus began to squirm impatiently causing herself more pain while messing up the x-rays.

"I guess I should have said don't move. Samus this is the last test alright I know you're in pain just hang in for a couple more minutes alright?" Cathrine sighed getting ready to do another scan.

Samus groaned standing still for a couple moments before Cathrine finally gave the go ahead for Chief to put her back on the bed.

"Ok I'm just going to run this through I will be right back don't run off on me."

Rolling her eyes at the words that came from the doctor Samus pouted only wanting one thing. To get the hell out of recovery.

Linda was begining to get intolerant of the impatient teen. "Calm the fire there kid don't be so hell bent on leaving here so quickly. The only way you are leaving is if you are fully recovered." Linda warned the restless teen.

Samus didn't want to argue with Linda she knew Linda was a harder person to argue with compared to arguing with Chief. Who was practically a push over when it came to her.

"Ok Samus I've got your results and it looks like your going to be staying here for a while." Cathrine announced approaching the side of the bed.

"What why?" Samus whined as if it was a complete shock to her.

Cathrine gazed up from her data pad meeting the young teens restless eyes. "Samus this cannot come as a surprise you went through heavy trauma."

Chief finally approached the doctor. "What are the finale results doctor?" he asked before Samus begun a heated argument.

"Nervous system is recovering concussion symptoms are still in effect, muscle strains and soft tissue damage still very fresh, found two rapidly recovering fractures in the x-rays."

"Is that bad?" Samus quired curiously.

Two medics entered handing Cathrine another data pad one whispered something into her ear. "We'll if your fractures weren't recovering so quickly I would say you would be on bedrest for at least a couple of months. But you're unique genetics are mending your fractures as if it were a simple cut on your hand." Cathrine spoke in an amazed tone of voice as she read the vitals on the new data pad.

"Don't even think about disecting her!" Kelly warned seeing the doctors exchange curious looks.

Scared by what Kelly had snarled Samus shot a terrified gaze up at the team leader. "Chief!" Samus cried out in worry.

Sitting down next to the teen Chief grabbed Samus's shoulder. "It's not going to happen Samus." John shot a pointed glare at Kelly and Cathrine.

"Anyway you have fractures in your spine it explains the walking issues you also have a few cracked ribs."

Samus sighed in annoyance at the news. "How come he dosen't have fractures when he fights?" Samus gestured to Chief.

Kelly and Chief couldn't help but hold back a snicker and a smile. "Good luck breaking our bones." Kelly snorted.

"You are not fully devoloped yet Samus give it time and you might get even stronger bones later in life. But only if you let your bones heal properly." Cathrine simply put to the young teen.

"Anyway let me go put this in the database and I will come back and deal with that healing gash wound of yours."

Samus cringed just thinking about the sting of the oinment and alcohol.

"I got it she won't put up to much of a fuss for me will you kid?" Kelly scoffed grabing the healing equipment from a storage cupboard behind Fred.

"No Kelly I would never." Samus grined with her sincere sarcasm.

"See this is why Kelly isn't aloud to be around kids she teaches them bad habbits." Fred shook his head.

"I think we can all agree that we've equally taught her something bad that she picked up from us." Kelly put her hands up in a surrender.

Linda smiled in agreement. "Or the fact that Samus knows she can get away with anything if she just argues with the right person." Linda glared at John at the end of her sentence.

"Why are you looking at me when you say that..." Chief raised an eyebrow catching Samus giggling out of the corner of his eye.

"Ow!"

"Sit still then!" Kelly barked throwing away the old bandages.

"Oh please everyone knows this brat has you wrapped around her little fingure. Even the admiral notices." Kelly teased both Chief and Samus.

"Do not!" Samus huffed before flinching from the sudden sting of alcohol.

"She most certainly does not." John denied his teams crazy theory.

"Chief can we do this can I do that what's this can you show me? Uh maybe we will later fine just listen to me do you have to ask so many questions? Ok I'll show you quickly." Kelly teased her leader by imitating both John and Samus.

John shook his head at the mockery getting up to leave the room before he said something to Kelly he would instantly regret for not being able to out run the female spartan.

"Oh come on John I was just teasing you take a joke for once in your life." Kelly rolled her eyes as Linda followed the Master Chief out.

"Kelly did you scare Chief off?" Samus quired half playfully.

"He will come back he always does even if Kelly was annoying to the point he was driven away." Fred reassured the teen.

Exiting the med bay Linda noticed a bunch of medics gathered around one data pad. Blowing it off as just a patients vitals or a new medicine. Quickly catching up to her leader the red head strode beside in sync with the Chief's steps.

"Do you really think everyone knows?" Chief barely looked over at Linda.

"Well John the moment that kid stepped into our lives it was almost impossible not to quickly get attached considering she saved your life before we even new of her. And the fact that she was probably the cutest kid we've ever met how could we say no?"

Chief kept and eyebrow raised as he gave an odd look to the red head.

"Ok yes it is hard to say no to her I admit that. And of course everyone can tell we've grown attached to the kid. When you walk down the halls and all you can hear from the marines and other UNSC personnel is yeah you mean Blue Teams kid, Master Chief's kid, or yeah Chief's little girl kicked ass at that. They may seem a little far fetched but who cares I enjoy hearing them." Linda listed off the many names Samus gets from the UNSC personnel. "There's no denying you see her and treat her as if she were your own John."

"And you guys don't?" Chief scoffed nervously clearing his throat.

"We do too I admit that but you hang around with her the most." Linda pointed out.

"That's because she follows me everywhere I go." Chief argued the womans point.

"You were the one that wanted to bring her home don't complain if she follows you like a lost puppy."

"Our duty is to save those in need I wasn't going to leave her to die on that planet. Plus the Covenant was hunting for her." Chief rolled out the excuses.

"True but still you're the most connected." Linda pointedly stared at her leader making him shake his head before turning back around.

"Chief!" that glowing burst of sudden a happy overjoyed youthful tone. Gave Chief a dose of happiness with the feeling of being wanted everytime he entered the room.

Kelly was once again sitting on the bed with the teen meanwhile Fred was wrighting or drawing on a piece of paper. "You have your jumpsuit back on?" John noticed the teen had her blue jumpsuit back on.

"Yeah it turns out the kid is healing up really fast that gash wound is pretty much gone." Kelly replied looking down at the paper Fred was using.

"That's excellent." Chief looked at the two spartans over a piece of paper. "What are you doing Fred?"

"He's counting how many times I beat him at tic tac toe." Kelly proudly announced.

"Ok then..." Chief went to the other side of Samus taking place beside the teen sitting himself on the bed.

Linda stepped in stopping in the doorframe to look at scene of spartans around the teen. "Comfy?" Linda asked rhetorically entering the room with Cathrine.

"Yep!" Samus replied to the rhetorical question.

"Good ok Samus you can leave now as long as you wear your armour and take it easy." Cathrine announced to the now armoured teen.

"Ok let's go!" Samus ignored her pain as she climbed over Kelly im a matter of seconds sprinting out the door in a stumble.

"Ok we will go get psycho runner while you talk to the doctor."

"Master Chief please don't allow her to bounce off the walls. She still is recovering and will exhaust easily take frequent breaks her concussion will exhaust her quickly even if she does seem back to her old regular self. This is just a small adrenalin rush she's having out of excitement."

John nodded in acknowledgement to the doctor as he exited the med bay he found Kelly holding Samus with one arm as everyone but Samus waited patiently for the leader.

"Kelly let her down." Chief sighed stopping infront of the two.

"Samus look, just because you are free to go, does not mean you are not still under strict instructions to recovery." Chief warned. "Look you are to stay with me no running off or training. You need to make a full recovery before even thinking about training or missions." John firmly informed the teen on his strict rules he was putting into action.

Catching her breath after being released from Kelly's tight hold. "What am I supposed to do then?" Samus complained at the rules spoken by Chief.

"Follow me and do as little as possible." Chief put as simply as possible.

"So I am just supposed to sit by and watch you guys do all the fun stuff?"

"No you may do small activities to keep strengthening yourself but nothing to physically demanding."

Samus folded her arms. "So I can do things but I can't do things?"

"Yeah exactly." Chief put an arm around the teens shoulders escorting her down the corridor.

"Where are we going?"

John replied as the team instinctively followed them. "To the bridge you are going to tell the admiral all by yourself about your battle with Ridley."

Samus tensed up as she heard the spartans plans. "I can't do that!" panick was filled in her tone as she looked to the other spartans for an answer.

"Yes you can." emotionless Chief replied to the nervouse young teen.

"You're a big girl now you can do briefing by yourself right? Or are you still that shy little girl?" Kelly hoped her teasing would convince Samus to do the briefing confidently.

Like a charm Kelly's teasing worked. "I'm not a little girl! Fine I will do it!"

"Good." Chief replied entering the bridge.

Formally lining up the team saluted the admiral. "Sir Samus is here for briefing." Chief presented the teen.

"Excellent thank you Master Chief. Spartans you are dismissed." Samus nervously watched as the team exit out the large doors not paying attention to the high ranking officer calling her name.

"Aran?" Lord Hood called for the fourth time grabbing the teens attention.

"Y...yes... sir?" that shakey voice bearly audible to the old ears.

"You're encounter with Ridley we need to go over the exact information Ridley said that gives us any leads on where the Didact might be."

"Um ok..." Samus looked past the Admiral as Captin Lasky approached with a datapad.

"Go ahead Aran we are ready." Lasky smiled reassuringly to the young teen.

"How do you think she's doing in there?" Kelly asked leaning against the outside wall of the bridge.

"She's fine it's just briefing." Fred replied before Chief could.

Samus exited the bridge just moments after Fred's reply. "Ok I'm done can we do something now?" Samus said as if she had been there with them the whole time.

"Sure Samus." Chief smiled leading the teen towards the training areana.

Linda spoke with intrest. "So it went well I'm taking it?" curious to know how the teen took the briefing.

"It was easy he just wanted to know where Ridley was going." Samus looked back at the red head.

"And you know where he's going?" Kelly was curious to know where the dragon was heading.

"He said he was going to some sort of installation." the teen shrugged.

John looked at the teen. "What installation?"

"Ridley only said an installation nothing else the way he said it was like he barely knew either." Samus said through a yawn. Quickly shaking off her tired spell hoping Chief didn't notice the yawn. But to her avail he noticed with a small brief smile.

"Sounds like this may take some time then." Fred raised an eyebrow.

"Depending on how intelligent Ridley really is it would take quite some time to go through all installations and weed out what he's really looking for." Linda added.

"I'm sure the admiral's sending teams to gaurd on the installations that that will send the news of a dragon soaring above them." Kelly said, walking through the enterance of the training arena.

"I thought you mentioned the Admiral assigned us to the task?" Linda quired to the Chief as they followed Kelly in.

"He already has teams out there we can't hunt this thing alone and be in multiple places at once." John replied.

The idea of hunting and taking enemies down appealed to the teens interest. "I think that would be an interesting job." Samus finally spoke.

"What would be?" the spartans turned their attention to the young teen.

"Hunting down an enemy adventuring through space searching for troubled places in need of help." Samus replied excitedly.

"What like some wild freelanced bounty hunter or something?" Kelly raised one of her eyebrows at the teens excitement.

"Yeah that would be cool!"

"Well you have a really creative mind but that's just not my cup of tea. I'd rather snipe alien bastards and cover from behind." Linda mentioned.

"Yeah I'm going to have to agree with Linda." Fred and Kelly nodded.

"It sounds a little far fetched to be randomly freelancing all over the place. Seems disorganized walking in blind all the time is kind of putting you're life at risk all the time." Chief had to agree with his teammates.

"And this job dosen't put your lives at risk?" Samus quired.

"Touche but still seems like a waste of time flying around waiting for the next distress call to pop up." Kelly replied to Samus's comment.

"Oh please you do the same here." Samus pointed out.

Kelly groaned in defeat. "Stop pointing out similarities. Needless to say we just prefer the team action better."

That was where Samus thought it was better to be solo and keep as many people away from being dragged into a hitlist of an enemy they were innocent to. Samus sighed giving up on the subject the spartans just had a thing for shooting the down.

Kelly exhaled. "Sorry kiddo didn't mean to sound rude. Hey Linda come on lets spar." Kelly changed the subject after apologizing.

"Sure need better competition then Fred huh?" Linda scoffed brushing passed Fred following Kelly to the mats.

"You know it." Kelly grinned at Fred.

"Excuse me?" Fred objected that sentence from the two females standing with his hands on his hips.

Chief guided Samus passed the insulted male spartan sitting himself down on the resting bench seating Samus closely beside him with one arm supporting the teen upright.

"John are you wanting to join us you can take on the knife whinner here?" Kelly gestured to the Fred.

"You mean wielder?" Fred raised an eyebrow.

Ignoring Fred Kelly waited for an answer. "John?"

Samus was getting weak again her body was reminding her that she was recovering. Groaning Samus bonked her helmet into Chief's shoulder resting it there.

"Not right now Kelly." John replied putting a comforting hand on the back of the teens head.

Grinning once again this time at her leaders actions Kelly nodded preparing to battle Linda.

Fred sat beside Chief leaning forward to see Samus. "Hey kid you doing ok?" all Fred got in reply was pain filled groan. "Maybe next time don't sprint out of the med bay like you're ready for a battle it's only the day after getting injured that's the worst part feeling everything the next day." Samus lifted her head for a brief moment feeling the words Fred spoke before letting her head drop back to Chief's shoulder she let out another groan.

"Stop talking Fred." John shot a pointed glare at his male friend.

Seeing Samus's reaction to his words Fred quickly apologized. "Sorry kid."

John didn't want to make the teen sit and watch them train while feeling terrible pain everywhere. "Do you want to go lie down Samus?"

Lifting her head in a panick Samus refused that suggestion. "No I'm fine!" Samus wanted nothing to do with going back to bed back in the recovery room.

"Samus You're in pain though."

"I'm not going back to the recovery room." Samus began to argue.

Chief sighed Samus's argument reminding him of his regreted the decision to leave her at the med bay. "That was a mistake I wont make again Samus."

"What?" Samus questioned at the odd apology.

"Never mind you can rest in my room on your bed." Chief changed the subject.

Resting her head on Chie'fs shoulder. "I'm fine Chief thanks." Samus was thankful for having her suit on hiding her pain under her armour.

"Samus you know I'm going to choose when I think you can't handle anymore right?"

Samus was slow to respond to her favourite spartan. "I know..." she responded half asleep on his shoulder.

Fred smiled. "I think your decision was just made clear." Fred gestured to the young teen.

"Keep training I will be in my quarters if the admiral calls come get me and call Cathrine so she can take care of Samus in my absence." Chief stood up while Fred held Samus up straight.

"Yes John I will make sure that happens."

Two weeks passed and before anyone new it the next month had come. To no surprise to the spartans Samus was fully recovered and ready for action.

Running races around the track with Kelly and Linda Samus was taking advantage of her recovered form. Jogging up to the two spectating male spartans Linda panted. "That kid has gotten faster." She said wipping the sweat from her brow.

"I know it's getting kind of scary how much Kelly and her are evenly matched." Fred replied to the red head.

"Having two decoys to distract and throw off an enemy is even better." Linda mentioned grabbing Chief's full attention.

"I don't think so." John shook his at the red heads last words.

"John you can't keep her in bubble wrap for the rest of her life." Fred replied to Linda's refused suggestion.

"I'm not I just don't think she's ready to be a decoy yet." John gestured to the teen dropping behind Kelly.

"Tired already kid?" Kelly taunted over her shoulder to the young teen.

Samus wasnt even breaking a sweat yet she just wanted to play around with the cocky spartan. "Nope not even a little." Samus dashed off passing Kelly in a blur.

"You brat!" Kelly had to find a higher gear for herself to catch up to Samus who was gaining distance.

"I think that just contradicted your excuse." Linda scoffed to her leader.

"You're right Linda she's going to be a real good decoy." Fred mentioned just for the sake of bugging his leader.

"Samus come here!" Chief yelled for the teen.

Samus stopped dead in her tracks turning in the direction that Chief called her. "Shit!" Kelly was hot on her trail halting at last minute she ran into the back of Samus. Causing them both to tumble across the track at least ten feet.

"That's exactly what it's like to be hit by a rocket." Fred cringed with Linda and John.

"Are you two ok?" Linda asked jogging over with the two males.

"Fantastic it's always great to run full speed into a small blonde kid thanks for asking." Kelly grumbled sitting up.

"Ow... Kelly you're heavy!" Samus complained as she was trapped beneath the brunet spartan.

"That was quite the tumble you guys took I thought you guys would never stop rolling." Fred almost chuckled as he helped Kelly up.

Kelly laughed sarcastically. "Very funny. What the hell was so important John that you felt the need to stop us from racing?" Kelly turned to the lead spartan.

"He's angry because Samus is running fast and dosen't want her to be a decoy like you." Fred replied while chief helped Samus up.

"And why the hell not it's an awesome adrenalin rush and you are helping your team majorly." Kelly growled listing all the reasons to be a decoy.

Standing behind holding Samus's shoulders Chief shook his head and waved one of his hands trying to get Kelly to stop.

"Sounds awesome!" Samus excitedly outburst.

Unintentionally squeezing Samus's shoulder out of irritation. "Thanks Kelly you're a great help." Chief lowly growled at the speed runner.

"No problem John anytime." Kelly grinned.

Samus winced as the grip got tighter compressing all her bones. "Chief!" Samus whined trying to shake off the strong hands.

Chief gasped releasing the teen from his grasp. "Sorry Samus!" He apologized as Samus rubbed her sore shoulders looking up she glared at him.

"Why can't I be a decoy?"

"I just think you need to get a little stronger." Chief rubbed the back of his head.

"If she gets any stronger she'll be a spartan right kiddo?" Kelly remarked pulling Samus into her in a one armed hug.

"Yeah!" Samus smiled big in agreement with Linda and Fred.

"You're still recovering." Chief tried.

"I actually recovered about two weeks ago." Samus corrected.

"You taught her how to argue didn't you?" John glared at the brunet.

"No John it's a gift only few people have and the kid seems to have it to your disadvantage." Kelly replied slyly.

"You have to be able to follow orders thoroughly to be able to becom a decoy." Chief finally found his winning argument.

Releasing the teen Kelly respectfully excepted John's valid argument. "Ok he's got us there can't defend you anymore." Kelly stepped away with her hands up.

"But..."

"No until you can actually follow through on an order and prove to me that you can listen to direct orders. I will allow you to be a decoy with Kelly other than that the answer is absolutely no. You are lucky I am allowing you to join us in our next mission after the last one that badly injured you." Chief lead the team out of the training facility.

"How am I supposed to prove that if we don't go on frequent missions?" Samus complained folding her arms watching the team leave.

"I think I might have the answer to that brat." Samus recognized that venomous voice not hearing it for a while it took a moment.

Turning around Samus spotted the ODST female leader and what was left of her team. "It's Samus not brat." She growled defensively.

"Oh I'm sorry Sammy I've forgotten you've grown a bit." Bree rolled her eyes looking back at her team.

Cringing at the name the ODST lady called her, Samus hated when strangers called her nicknames it was only a right only reserved for people close to her. Not wanting to deal with the team of hostile ODST's Samus attempted to turn around and leave. Unfortunely being stopped by two men who spun her around to face their leader. "What do you want?" Samus was in no mood to play games as she tried to shake off the hands holding her in place.

"To help out you that's all you want to prove to Chief that you can listen to him right?" the females tone dripped with a sinister intention.

"Yeah..." Samus kept her eyes fixed on Bree.

"Well then this is put very simply. Convince the spartan team to a paint battle against our team and we will go from there it will be just like a real mission situation." Bree smirked looking back at her men holding the teen with a small nod from their leader they released the girl. "What do you say kid?" Bree wrapped an arm around Samus's shoulders and pulled her in.

"You better not do anything against the rules. Cause it sure seems like you're driving towards that road." Samus challenged ducking out of the womans grip Samus backed into the two males still standing guard.

"Oh Sammy don't get that way we wouldn't do that."

It was almost painful to hear the woman speak in such a condescending tone. "Samus!" the teen snapped beginning to lose her patients.

"Whoa kid we call you whatever we want got that?" Bree challenged back pushing a fingure into Samus's chest.

"Personally I like little brat." One of the males said putting an elbow on the teens shoulder using it to lean against.

Shrugging off the soldier Samus glared at the man.

"I couldn't agree more Henderson." the second male rested an arm on the teens head.

After fifteen minutes of waiting in his quarters for Samus to enter Chief began to worry. Wondering if the teen had wondered into one of the other spartans rooms.

A knock at the door brought Linda out of her meditation sighing she promitted the interruption to enter.

"Sorry Linda did Samus come in here with you?" John asked entering the red heads quarters.

Getting out of her sitting position Linda stood up. "No the kid usually goes straight to you before any of us enless she was upset with you."

"She might be upset with what I had said to her last."

"She usually dosen't let something that small go to her head John check with Kelly I'll catch up in a sec."

"Come in." Kelly replied to a knock on her door.

"Is Samus in with you Kelly?" Chief greeted the brunet upon entering her room.

"No why?" Kelly almost looked as worried as Chief.

"She hasn't come back from the track yet." John replied turning to exit.

"I'll go check the training facilities you check with Fred." Kelly sprinted past her leader down the corridor.

"Any luck?" Linda asked walking up to the Chief.

"Not yet no." Master Chief shook his head entering Fred's room.

"John Linda what's wrong?" Fred read the worried expressions on his friends faces.

"Samus hasn't come back from training we are worried she might start something unintentionally." Linda replied truthfully.

"Kelly just went back to the track to check we should head that way." John said opening the door so they may leave.

"Oh come on Sammy what do we have to do to convice you to agree?" the female ODST leader spoke also using Samus as a resting post.

"Hey hell jumpers what the fuck do you think you're doing?!" Samus was relieved to hear the familiar voice of an angry female spartan.

"Spartan 0-87 we were just talking with our little buddy hear isn't that right Sammy?" Bree and her team got off Samus immediately.

Samus exhaled with relief relaxing her stiff body from supporting all the ODST's resting wieght.

Storming up to the group circling Samus Kelly shook her head. "Oh yeah you expect me to believe that bullshit? Last time I remember was you guys are a bunch of assholes that pick on an innocent little kid!" Pushing through the soldiers Kelly grabbed and pulled Samus to her side away from the sinister team.

"A little kid perhaps. Innocent no." Bree spat back at the fuming spartan.

Chief Fred and Linda entered upon an argument about to break out between Kelly and a whole team of hell jumpers.

"Kelly Samus." the three jogged over Chief grabbing Samus right away protectively holding her by the shoulders infront of him.

"You know what we were just trying to help the little brat out but you fuckers are on us like the pack of wolves you are." Bree had no respect for any of the high ranking Spartans.

"What could you bastards do that would possibly help her?" Kelly retorted.

"We were trying to set a capture the flag paint battle your team against us to help the brat prove she can be a decoy."

Blue team all exchanged looks. "Fine in three hours you better bring your a game." Kelly agreed to the battle with out John's consent.

"Alright we will see you then Sammy." Bree lead her team to the exit.

Samus finally fed up with hearing that name come form such an evil voice she lunged forward pulling Chief with her. "Ugh let me at that stupid bi..."

"Samus!" Chief held the angered teen in place.

"Kelly why did you agree to that you know they're going to pull some stupid stunt?" Fred glared at the brunet.

"I know that, I'm not stupid we just have to be prepared for that."

"No Kelly that was a stupid and rash decision you know they will and are going to attempt to avenge their fallen comrade." John finally snapped at the brunet.

Worry flooded Samus's body remembering that horrible thing she did to the ODST's three years ago. She looked up at Chief for comfort but his mind was to focused on his rage with his teammate too focus on the teen he held onto.

"John I think we can handle it. Our protective skills have grown beyond what they were before the kid don't you think I wont take full responsibility if something does happen. I will never forgive myself?" Kelly argued.

"All of us train then in the paint simulator now!" Chief firmly spoke pointing the team to the training sim at the back of the arena.

The whole team jogged quickly to the simulator this was not the time to argue with their leader. "Here are the rules." Chief escorted Samus to the team. "The objective is to protect Samus at all times. There will be two teams one is a three man team of foes the other is a one man team with Samus and that one person will have to protect her at all costs. She get's hit three times games over is that clear?"

"Crystal clear John." the three responded.

"Go suit up then lets begin." Chief replied.

Chief already being armoured before coming to the training facilities a second time stayed with Samus who in a flash was armoured. "Chief I don't think I can go through with this." Samus spoke nervously, looking at the ground.

"Yes you can you will do fine just listen to all my orders and you will be fine."

"But what if I kill one of them again!" Samus cried out in worry.

"Samus it's paint you couldn't possibly harm a thing. Just try not to hit them to hard so don't worry yourself sick." John comforted the teen.

"But..."

"We are practicing now I promise I wont let anything happen those hell jumpers don't want to deal with me. And Kelly dosen't want to have to deal with me either I promise you." Chief reassured the teen.

"Ok." Samus laughed as the team ran up to them.

As they ran through the simulation for what felt like the hundredth time. They got it perfectly for the tenth time in a row no paint touched Samus even once.

"Ok we rest then meet back in an hour to run one more practice run." Chief informed the exhausted team.

The team obliged with no argument heading back to their own quarters to wash up and prepare.

Chapter 6: In The Heat Of Battle

After doing one last successful run the ODST squad showed up with two extra members to make the teams equal.

"Ok nothing to rash remember just protect as much as possible. I will give more orders on the field." John gave a quick briefing before the battle.

"Alright Jablonsky I'm having you go out in the front line with me you have the best shot. Cole I want you to guard the flag with Henderson. Jame's and Woolf you two find a spot to hide and wait for my signal to give that brat what she deserves." Bree gave her briefing to her team.

"Are you ready?" Chief asked the ODST's formally.

"Yes sir we are." Bree replied surprisingly without a rude tone.

"Both teams on the field. There will be no use of lethal weapons or lethal force paint simulation weapons only. There may be close combat you get shot three times you're out of the battle. Which ever team brings back the flag to home base wins one round only." Chief briefed both teams on the rules. "Take you're positions at your flags we will begin from there." Both teams did so ODST team taking the red flag While Blue Team took the Blue flag.

Samus disengaged her arm cannon and grabbed a paint rifle with the rest of the team. The team gathered at blue base while ODST team took position at red base. "Woolf Jame's go take your positions prep yourselves." Bree ordered handing the two a bag full of lethal objects.

"Linda stay and cover from base Fred stay and cover Linda. Samus and Kelly come with me." Chief gave his team orders as they took their positions right away.

"Do we have a strategy to retrive the flag?" Kelly asked as she followed her leader.

"Yes I will rush the front line while you and Samus flank the flag guards from opposite sides. Kelly take the right path Samus you take the left path." Chief gave his directives as the buzzer went off.

Both teams sprung into action Kelly and Samus quickly sprinting to opposite sides waiting for eachother to get to the correct positions.

Linda and Fred got rushed by one male while Chief handled the feamle leader.

Linda getting two shots on Jablonsky Fred tackled him to the ground when he was inches away from the flag. Dodging the panicked gun fire Fred quickly used his weapon getting the thrid shot. "You're out." Fred pointed the man off the field who obliged respectfully.

"That's really odd." Linda thought out loud.

"The fact that only one of the men made there way when there was four?" Fred replied checking around the area for anymore intruders.

"Yeah all I can see is John fighting that bitch ODST leader." Linda gazed through her weapons scope.

Fred cautiously walked back to the female sniper. "She must have all of her men guarding the flag."

"That still seems odd to me."

Linda could see Chief and Bree continuing to battle in the middle of the field ducking behind cover and firing every minute or so.

Kelly rounded her last corner getting visual of her target she waited for Samus to pop up at the corner across from her.

Samus rounded a corner finding no one she continued to her destination thinking nothing of it. she didn't notice the two above her on a platform.

"Bree target is directly below us." Woolf called over a private team comm channel.

Ducking behind cover for a brief moment Bree responded. "Ok Henderson and Cole rush the middle."

Suddenly the two flag guards sprinted away from the flag and rushed towards Chief.

"Shit what the hell!?" Kelly was confused at the random action. "Linda give us some back up the guards are ambushing John." Kelly called giving chase to the two not waiting for Samus as Chief was about to be ambushed.

"Fred go help them. I've got my eyes on just give me the word Kelly." Linda replied as Fred rushed to go aid his leader in battle.

Now that the whole spartan team was distracted Bree gave the two men above Samus the signal. The two men pulled pins out of the frag grenades given to them there was enough for a small bomb.

Samus picked up on some odd sounds like small pins dropping instantly recognizing the sound as she saw about ten grenades raining down towards her. The explosion shook the field throwing almost everyone off balance.

"What the fuck was that!?" Kelly looked towards the direction the smoke came from.

Samus evaded out of the way in her morphball only getting half the damage from the explosion. They men were confused to see no body laying on the ground below. Samus quickly transformed scaling the platform she shot the two each three times before kicking them both down to the floor.

"Samus!" Chief punched Henderson to the ground shooting him three times before rushing over to the smoke filled area.

Linda taking advantage of the distraction shot the other flag guard twice once again allowing Fred get the last shot.

"Samus!" Chief called looking around only to fnd two defeated men. "Linda I can't find Samus do you have a visual?"

"Yes she has the flag and is standing beside me." Linda replied proudly.

"Excellent work everyone. Fred please call the Captin and Admiral." Chief gave an exhale of relief.

After hearing the news Kelly did the honors of tackling the ODST leader holding her down. "I hope for your lifes sake you get put away for ever. You don't ever want to be caught walking past me ever again." Kelly threatened.

"Kelly get off her she's not worth your energy." Chief escorted his teammate to their base.

"kid are you alright?" Kelly asked walking up to the slightly burnt victorious teen.

"That has to stop being your greeting for me. It's going to take a little more then a bunch of grenades to kill me." Samus replied setting the flag down.

"Bastards." Linda cursed watching as the Admiral and Captin had soldiers take the ODST's away.

"Well we won't be hearing from them again. They're asses are going in the brig then getting demoted to janitorial duties after their sentence." Fred rejoined the team after speaking with the Admiral.

"I'm sorry but it's about fucking time." Kelly responded to the news just as the team expected.

"Excellent job Samus you really had me worried for a while." Chief patted Samus's shoulder.

"So can she be a decoy with yours truely please please please?" Kelly asked like a child wanting candy.

Samus giggled at Kelly before gazing at Chief for an answer.

"I hardly saw that as a test to prove herself." Chief raised an eyebrow from behind his visor.

"Oh come on she followed your every order without a single complaint." Kelly argued.

"Fine just be safe and don't over do it." Chief sighed in defeat.

"A decoy is a brief moment of success then it's back to shooting down the enemy." Linda explained.

"Simply put I suppose so yes. Don't worry John I will teach everything she needs to know." Kelly smiled reassuringly.

"Alright how about a celebration lap for the team hey kid." Fred friendly punched Samus's arm.

"Ok!" Samus grabbed the winning flag running around the whole battle field rounding back up the ramp to the team Samus slipped on the weapon dropped by the man Fred took out. Stumbling forward bowling into Kelly and Fred who backed into Linda and John.

"Yeah victory lap!" Samus rolled onto her back and cheered.

"Yes kid every victorious soldier celebrates by laying on the floor." Kelly playfully stepped on the armoured teen.

Samus grabbed hold of the boot and held on for dear life. Kelly just rolled her eyes walking off draging Samus with her.

"Alright time to settle down." Chief pulled the bubbly giggling teen off of the speed runner. "Time to go back to our quarters." Chief stood Samus up on her feet.

"Aw we can do another round." Samus suggested not wanting to end the fun.

"I'm ok with tha... no I'm not." Kelly quickly switched her words around when John glared at her.

"Time for bed." Chief spoke firmly now escorting his team out of the facility.

"Good night kid."

"Sleep well kid."

"Night kiddo training starts tomorrow."

All the spartans bid Samus a good night before entering their rooms. "Good night Fred, Linda, and Kelly." Samus entered her and Chief's room to find the spartan already in his jumpsuit scrubbing his armour clean from a couple paint splaters. "You get blood stains on it anyway why clean it?" Samus made her armour dissolve into nothing as she sat down beside the spartan on his bed.

"Suit maintenance is important keeps it from wearing down." Chief replied still focused on cleaning.

"Oh..." Samus didn't really feel like begining maintenance on her suit so she decided to lay down on the floor.

Finally looking up from his armour John looked confused. "What are you doing?" Chief looked down at the teen on the floor.

"Being awesome." Samus replied almost sarcastically.

Ignoring the disrespect for a mature answer tossing a cleaning cloth at Samus causing it to land on her face. "Why don't you be awesome and go lay in your bed and sleep." John exhaled.

Sitting up Samus sighed. "But I'm not tired." Samus tossed the rag back at the Master Chief.

"Samus how many times do you have to say that when you always fall asleep moments later?"

"That's not true." Samus replied getting up and making her way over to the desk. "What's this?" Samus wondered picking up dog tags.

"My identification tags."

"Can I keep it?"

With large sigh Chief hung his head in annoyance but was trying to hold the irritation back. "Must you get into everything?"

"Maybe." Samus replied putting the dog tags back on the desk.

"Go to bed please." John went back to cleaning.

"Why are you trying to force me to sleep?" Samus was starting to get irritated by the way the spartan was treating her.

John replied emotionless. "Because you need your rest so you may grow more."

"I'm not ten anymore why do you keep on treating me like I am?"

Secretly Chief wished she was ten again somehow he found a curious innocent ten year old easier to deal with. Rather than the sarcastic curious moody not so innocent young teenager. "You want to recheck you sure seem to act like a ten year old." John responded codly.

"I am fourteen Chief I promise you that." She replied firmly as she sat down on her bed.

Looking up Chief shook his head. "Samus you're thirteen." Master Chief corrected.

"Nope I turned fourteen three months ago it's been a whole year since I turned thirteen." Samus shook her head at the spartan.

Chief had no idea where the time went. "Fine... you're fourteen just go to sleep I'm going to bed now." John placed his armour down putting the cleaning supplies away.

"Ok." Samus finally agreed hopping under her covers.

Chief practically threw his arms up in defeat how come the teen was so eager to sleep now? Thinking to himself he thought it must have been because he was going to bed as well.

Almost six months had passed by blue team had waited and researched for any signs of activity in the empty recreational room.

"This is ridiculous how stupid is that dragon idiot!" Kelly threw her arms up.

"He's pretty dumb he also likes to raid and take on side projects for more power gain." Samus replied to Kelly's outburst.

"Well you would have thought the admiral would at least give us some sort of side mission. I feel like something is wrong here." Linda suspiciously spoke.

"You think you are getting a little suspicious Linda?" Fred quirked an eyebrow.

"Well weather Ridley finds the Didact or not. I don't think the Didact will wait around he has to be out there somewhere." Chief finally entered the conversation. "He is a bigger target then Ridley."

Leaning against the wall Samus was practically falling asleep listening to the spartans trying to find out logical reason for eveything that has been happening. The site of the Lord Hood and Captin Lasky passing by the doors in the hallway caught her attention It was as if they were in a hurry. Spiking Samus's curiosity she snuck easily from the arguing team. Off to catch up with the officers wanting to be undetected Samus contorted into her morphball rolling softly behind the two. They stopped at the bridge door that was her chance. Quickly transforming Samus caught glimps of the data pad the two were examining scanning it quickly before being detected. Samus rolled back down the hallway through numerous marines going straight back to the rec room.

Samus walked through the door to have four unamused spartans staring at her.

"Where the hell did you go?" Kelly hissed as Samus approached the team.

"What I can't go off on my own?" Samus raised an eyebrow.

"No you can't." all four replied as if they all had the same mind.

"Really I'm not going to get into trouble if I wonder around alone for an hour."

"No trouble follows you and an hour is a little to long thank you very much." Kelly snorted.

Samus when returning back to the rec room rembered hearing the marines comment in the hallway speaking about the Spartans having her attached to the hip."This attached to the hip thing is really your guys thing huh?" Samus folded her arms.

"What?" the team looked confused.

"Never mind. What were you doing out there?" John finally cut to the chase.

"Collecting valuable information." Samus replied simply.

"What Information Samus what did you do?"

"Nothing I just scanned the Captin's data pad and recorded the info from it."

"Kid you can't do that it's wrong it's stealing! It's... It's..." Fred went off.

Kelly rolled her eyes. "Helpful what the hell is going on?" Kelly finished Fred's sentence.

"Kelly!"

"They sent a team down to escort a sience team on Gamma Halo to investigate some sort of slipspace stuff or something rather." Samus replied skimming over the scans she did.

"Ok maybe it is useful you think they could of let us know?" Linda looked at her teammates for an answer.

All though it was useful information it was wrong to gather it in such a way. "It's none of our business Samus what you did was unacceptable you had no right to go through the Captin's files." John scolded the teen.

Kelly wrapped an arm around the teenagers shoulders. "What are you going to do John send her to her room? Look John if the Captin isn't going to tell us what's going on. Some one has to and it may as well be Sammy here." That was the first time Kelly had called Samus by a name instead of just calling her kid.

"Blue team report to the bridge." The Admiral's voice came across the intercom.

"If this is because you stole files..."

"I don't steal just copy and code." Samus replied to John.

"Lets go."

Upon entering the Admiral quickly briefed the team on their mission to go investigate the missing science and spartan team on Gamma Halo. As soon as the briefing was over the team eagerly rushed to their aircraft.

"See they were going to tell us anyway." John glared at Samus as they entered the long sword ship.

"There is no way any of us could have known that we would be called to investigate the planet." Kelly argued Chief's point who turned his glare to her.

"Can I fly the ship?" Samus joined Fred sitting next him in the copilot chair.

"Um I don't think John would..."

"I know how to fly Fred the coordinates are already punched in just trust me be my copilot." Samus reassured the wary spartan.

"Fine." Fred felt like he was going to regret his choice as he switched from pilot to copilot.

Taking off out of the hanger smoothly Samus followed the course without any flaws to her piloting skills.

The rest of the team seemed completely oblivous to the pilot switch. "So that audio bit was pretty clear on the fact that black team and that science team got attacked by prometheans. Only thing is is have we found our location of the Didact?" Kelly spoke while loading her shot gun.

"I don't know Kelly but I fear you may be correct." John replied.

"Let's just hope Ridley is late to deliver that index to him."

"You were right you can fly." Fred almost sounded surprised.

Sighing Samus snorted at the surprised tone Fred used. "Yeah my past training hasn't flown out the door yet."

"Ok so I underestimated you." Fred admitted apologetically.

"That seems to be a popular trend."

Fred tried to reassure the teen the team wasn't nagging her. "Look we just care and worry about you."

"You can't trust me to walk around a ship but you can trust me enough to fly one." Samus pointed out the stupidity.

Fred put a hand up in defeat. "Ok ok you prove a point. Let me talk to John and I will see if I can get him to loosen that grip." Fred got out of the copilot chair and began his way to the others. "You can handle it on your own right. We're not going to be spiraling to our deaths if I leave?" Fred glanced over his shoulder.

Samus just glared at him in response. It was enough to convince the spartan to leave quicker.

"John can I speak to you for a moment." Fred said exiting the copilot seat.

"Fred what the hell are you doing we're going to crash!" All three freaked out at seeing the spartan out of the pilot seat.

"It's fine Samus has been flying the entire time." Fred reassured them but that didn't seem to make them happy.

"I better make sure she's flying ok." John said walking to the pilot seat only to be stopped.

Fred held a hand infront of Chief. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Did this talk convince you to speak with me?" John half growled motioning for Linda to go check on Samus.

Linda got up and did so without question walking past the two.

"Look don't you think we've been keeping her on a short lead?" Fred began the argument.

"No I don't." that emotionless voice made everyone go silent.

"Ok." Fred ended the talk returning to the copilot seat not wanting to get in the way of Chief's leadership.

"I got to admit the kids flying skills are pretty top notch she knows her stuff." Linda walked away from the pilot seating area.

John sighed deciding to check for himself.

John stopped a few feet away from the piloting area listening on the conversation between the spartan and girl.

"Sorry kid there's no changing John's mind. I tried but I can only argue so far." Fred appologized for his failed attempt to change his leaders prospective on letting the teen wonder.

"It's fine Fred I understand."

The tone Samus used to reply to Fred put some worry into Chief's core. She spoke as if she had some sort of plan she was going to put into action.

Upon landing it did not take long for Blue Team to discover the ONI science team and Black Team's deceased bodies.

"They don't have the same markings the ODST team had after Ridley got through with them." Kelly investigated the bodies.

"No I think it's definetly straight up prometheans." Linda added moving one of the lifeless shells.

It was a gruesome site Samus was scanning almost everything picking up an odd energy around them. "Chief I'm picking up some wierd signals." Samus announced as if something was going to attack them.

"What kind of signals?" Chief quickly turned his attention to the teen.

"Unknown but I think we are about to have company!" Samus replied as a horde of promethean knights appeared out of no where.

Fred raised his weapon and shouted. "Contacts.

"Open fire!" Chief ordered spraying the knight infront of him with bullets.

Samus kicked down a knight to the ground. Quickly making a move to lunge back up at the teen Samus shot a charged blast straight into the flared skull screaming before it's death.

Samus watched as the rest of the spartans ripped apart the rest of the horde. Kelly blasted a knight in the chest with her shot gun watching it disintegrate into orange particles. Fred doing his signature move using his combat knife to destroy what prometheans dared to jump at him.

"Duck kid!" Linda yelled over the gunfire.

Samus quickly ducked out of the way of a sniper rifle bullet. Looking over her shoulder Samus watched a knight disintegrate behind her.

"On your toes Kiddo!" Kelly warned reffuring to Samus's lack of concentration.

Samus quickly hopped onto a nearby knight blasting it's head off it fell as it turned to particles. Landing back on her feet Samus didn't even have time to flich as she was harshly hit from behind. Slamming into the dirt face first. John quickly spun around spraying the knight that took Samus down with bullets destroying it to nothing.

"Clear." Fred announced as all knights were destroyed.

Opening her eyes shaking off the hit all Samus saw was dirt. "Need to work... on my combat skills..." Samus grumbled with a deep breath. Upon staring at the dirt she noticed little tracks pushing herself up to her feet she noticed the tracks going off into the distance. "Linda come check this out." Samus waved the sniper over to her position.

"What did you find kid?" Linda jogged over with the rest of the team.

"Look at these tracks what are they?" Samus brushed her hand across a footprint.

"Those are crawler tracks Linda are you tracking?" Chief recognised the footprints.

"Tracking now come on this way." Linda lead the team straight to a giant almost grave like hole.

"What the hell it looks as if something was burried here." Kelly kicked a stone into the hole.

"This must have been where the composer was burried." John studied the crater with his eyes.

"You mean before Ivanoff dug it up?" Fred added to John's sentance.

"Yes it would seem so."

"Hurry up you guys talk to much!" an echo from below caught the teams attention.

"Dammit kid can't you let us investigate in peace." Kelly jumped into the crater Samus yelled from.

"No no she likes to act not think remember." Linda, John, and Fred followed suit

"This place so smooth the armour almost untouched." Linda thought out loud as she scanned the crater.

Chief wasn't to focused on the craters condition he was more focused on the teen that was freely adventuring towards a large tunnel enterance. The team quickly gathered near the tunnel and examined for a moment.

"That goes pretty deep. Looks like a stair case straight to hell." Kelly mentioned.

Samus was curious wanting to know what might lay beneath she had no regrets taking the first steps down into the tunnel. Chief followed closely behind her somehow he was also drawn to what might be below.

"John?" Fred called as he was confused as to why the leader didn't yell at Samus for entering without permission.

"I guess we're going down then." Kelly shrugged following Fred and Linda.

"John you want to advise us on anything?" Fred asked as they all came to a dead halt to the glowing scene infront of them.

Millions of victims of the composer lay dead glowing a sickly red glare. Glaring red off the teams armour the scene was most disturbing. Samus could feel her heart skip a beat seeing so many bodies those terrified unsuspecting beings randomly destroyed without reason. What had happened to them what sort of monstrosity could have caused such horror.

Taking a moment to reply shaking off the disturbed memories of bodies disintegrating before his eyes. "We move forward." Chief replied emotionlessly leading the team on.

Samus wasn't one to hang around a site like this. She didn't pause to take it all in she just followed obediently hanging by John's side. "Why are all these bodies here?" She asked.

"My guess would be this is the composers graveyard all victims of the composer. A weapon capable of destroying nothing but humans." John replied.

"Why were they sent here I thought you said they were reduced to ashes?" Kelly questioned John's intel.

"I'm not sure Kelly." Chief simply replied not sure of any answers.

Continuing on further through the building structure the area soon turned into walls of overgrowth like an abandoned city.

"This just looks like the similar places found on shield worlds and other Halo's." Fred mentioned as they walked through the cool grey building structures.

"Could you imagine how amazed Halsey would be of this place." Kelly sighed looking around.

"She would be in research heaven." Linda scoffed.

Samus was silent just listening to conversation for once simply following Master Chief like a shadow. Before deciding to do a little jog up ahead upon seeing large structured obejects that caught her eye.

John was confused by the sudden move but followed jogging behind the teen the team was seconds behind.

"Whoa in John's debriefing I watched that thing looks like the composer." Linda gasped seeing a row of perfectly operational composers waiting for use.

"They are composers." John said almost confused and shocked at the site.

The flapping of wings brought the teams weapons to the sky. Landing directly on one of the composers infront of the team Ridley gave a blood curdling screech.

"Weapons free!" John announced opening fire onto the dragon, who simply shielded the fire with a wing.

Samus stopped her fire as something approached and stood below Ridley.

"How predictable!" A large wave of energy rippling through the floor threw the spartans and Samus to the ground.

"You immediately fire upon what you fear attempting to demise it completely!" the large armoured being stood before them holding the same key Ridley had had in their previous battle.

"The Didact?" kelly picked herself up off the ground reaching for her weapon.

"Affirmative." Chief replied jumping to his feet.

"Pathetic really." The Didact scoffed releasing an army of promethean creatures upon blue team.

Through all the gunfire and dying prometheans Samus caught a glimps of the Didact arguing with some sort of floating ball before dissapearing with the dragon.

Effectively using the promethean weapons against their wielders after running out of ammunition the spartans took down many enemies surrounding them.

Samus had her sites set on the approaching glowing ball. "Chief there's a glowing ball coming at us." Samus announced over the open com.

"Ball of death like a grenade or what kid!?" Kelly snapped kicking a knight to the ground.

"The hell?" Fred watched as the ball Samus must have talking about descended towards them.

As the monitor sputtered information over the gunfire the spartan team learned where they were and what the Didact's intentions were. Chief began arguing with the monitor figuring out who the knights were. "The knights are composed humans?" he questioned in the heat of battle.

"This was the purpose of the composers when they were constructed. But they have seemed to bring fear and confusion. There for unacceptable." The monitor continued to seemingly bitch in Samus's prospective.

"Your point here gabby bulb?" Samus growled firing at watchers.

"The Didact is planning to fire the ring he is repairing near your homeworld burning you from this universe." monitor 859 spoke firmly.

"Didact is going to fire the ring to burn us there is also a lost composer on this ring to help with that?" John continued to query.

"We need to beat the Didact to the Halo then!" Kelly hissed puching down another knight as she began to clear a path.

Chief obliged with that idea and began leading his team through the battle field.

Samus listened to the monitor ramble on angrily randomly torching knight's behind them with a giant lazer.

"We continue back the way we came." Chief announced as they finally got back topside.

Just in time as a giant shadow cast over them they looked up to see the Didact moving the composer into position directly where they stood.

"Double time Blue Team!" Chief ordered the team to sprint up the walls of the crater.

Reaching the top with moments to spare the energy that radiated of the composer as it was put into place shot through the spartans causing them to fly forward a small distance.

"You still persist to survive." the Didact appeared infront of the Kelly, Fred, Linda, and Samus.

Master Chief was still pulling himself up behind the Didact. Against a pillar providing cover for him as Didact attacked his team. Pulling out his combat knife John snuck behind the Didact jumping on the giant he stabbed one of the Didact's eyes before he could strike at the team again. A yelp of pain emitted from the Didact as the decisive squish and crunch of the eye being stabbed could be heard.

Samus collected herself just in time to see the enraged Didact grab Chief by the head. "I consistently recieve the opportunity to eliminate you." The Didact hissed ripping Chief off his back. "Yet I make the foolish choice to decline." The Didact held Chief up like a trophy. "No more shall I make that mistake!" he tightened his grip on the spartans helmet.

Muffled pain could be heard coming from the Chief as his life was being held in the enemies hand. The crushing sound of John's visor struck fear through the whole team as he was slowly about to get his skull crushed.

"Chief!" Samus was the first to charge straight at the Didact rage and fear on her mind as the Didact was seemingly moments from crushing her idols skull.

"Take him down!" Fred ordered the team following Samus's charge.

Out of rage the Didact must have thought this was only a waste of his time and delaying him from his true intentions as he threw the Master Chief at the charging team members. Causing Chief to bolw over Fred as Samus, Linda, and Kelly dodged the incoming spartan. Kelly continued her charge at the Didact swiftly missing the swinging clawed hand she effectively blasted the enraged enemy in the chest with a scatter shot. Linda took that as her que and also got a hit on the target. Only frustrating the Didact further he ripped the weapon from Kelly's hands causing the spartan to lose balance crushing the weapon he cursed at the team. "Insubordinante consider your mission a Failure!" He blasted Kelly away with a burst of raw energy. Going after Linda next as she fired at him with Samus.

"Shit nothings working!" Linda had no time to dodge as she was grabbed by the clutches of the Didact's claws and tossed aside like a stone.

Samus felt the need to unleash heavier set weapons on the bastard releasing a few missles was enough to draw his attention away from the downed sniper. "No more shall you hender my objective!" he turned and sent a wave of energy at the active teen who rolled in morphball to dodge the attack. The Didact was not in the mood to play games using his telekinesis to pick up the now transformed girl. "Such irritation you bring." he slammed the teen into the ground creating dust. Standing in the middle of the defeated team the Didact finally removed the knife from his right eye.

Moving over top of Fred who still held his weapon. "I will allow you to fire your weapon human I grant you with this last gift of a dying warrior." Fred didn't think twice of his action as he fired his weapon at the Didact's head. "We are done here." the Didact simply growled turning his attention back to the recovering spartan leader.

Samus being Samus had to question what the Didact meant by what he had said. "So tell me..." She pushed herself to her feet. "What exactly you're done with?" she asked her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"You dare question me?!" He turned in the direction of the teen.

"I'm sorry I forgot to catch your name. Are you someone of importance? Because I was starting to wonder if you were famous for those long drudging monologues that never seem to get to the point in time before you get your ass handed to you?" Samus grined happy that she had redirected the Didact's attention away from the team.

"Premature soldier you lack the knowledge and power to defeat your enemies. Your team has been defeated and yet still you feel the erge to taunt before you're own death!?" Enraged by such a disrespect the teen had hit him with he lifted the teen using his telekinesis.

Seizing her movements sending energy waves of torture through her body he moved her above the spartans laying on the ground. "You will be reduced to nothing this is over!" he screamed.

Samus saw the monitor pop up from behind the Didact. In the background she also noticed sitting on a cliff was Ridley watching in the distance. The monitor shooting the Didact in the back with that lazer it had used earlier. "I can comply with that!" it shouted as the Didact and Samus hit the ground. The Didact had no time to counter attack before he was warped away by the monitor.

"Ow holy freaking god that hurt! You alright Linda?" Kelly sorely sat up with Linda.

"Beaten up but I'll live." Linda shook off her pain.

"John you ok?" Fred helped up his leader.

"I'm fine a broken visor won't kill me." John held his head for a moment.

"You alright Samus?" Chief helped the sore teen up.

"I'm peachy how about you broken glass?" Samus still had the energy to tease Chief definitely knew the teen was fine.

"I'm ok thanks for buying that extra moment for us to live." Chief replied smiling.

"Yeah so it's official you're a good decoy. I like how you insulted him that was a good twist interesting method kiddo." Kelly complimented the orange armoured kid.

"It seems Didact has adapted to all weapon types." The monitor floated over in a flustered manner. "You have to quickly regroup I have sent Didact to the most secure place on Halo." Monitor 859 flustered.

"Where the hell would that be?" Fred picked his weapon up off the ground.

"The control room." Chief answered with an emotionless tone.

"Correct." The monitor nodded.

"You fucking idiot why would you send him there!" Kelly growled up at the floating ball.

"It was either send him there or watch him slaughter your team." 859 argued. "If you were dead he would still reach the control room."

Samus right away found that key object laying on the ground were the Didact was beamed off. "Chief." Samus tossed the object to the leader.

"Hmm you said his armour adapted to the weapons right?" Chief interrupted the agrument.

"Yes why do you ask?" 859 gave his attention to the lead spartan.

"I know a weapon he can't adapt to." Chief held out the index key.

"Oh are we gonna blow shit up!" Samus let her youthful excitement take over.

"Samus!" the whole team gasped at the out burst.

"Way to blow a serious moment with a kid." Kelly shook her head.

"Sorry." Samus grinned.

"I see your plan I shall warp you to the Didact immediately." The monitor understood and complied with the spartans plan.

"Return to the long sword I shouldn't be long." Chief ordered his team.

After a few moments of arguing Kelly and Linda finally drug Samus aboard the ship meanwhile Chief was warped away.

Being warped to the control room where Didact was confused and questioning what had just happened. "There is something I have yet to comprehend."

"You're right." John walked in just in time to hear the last question.

Back aboard the long sword Samus wouldn't stop driving the team insane.

"Kid shut the hell up and sit the hell down John will be fine!" Kelly was ready to bang her head against the dash of the cockpit area.

"But what if Didact destroys him before... what if he dosen't make it!?"

"He'll make it." Fred sighed.

Kelly groaned banging her helmet against the dash three times.

Seeing out the ships window a piece of the Halo crash and burn into the composers forge Samus's heart rate stopped. A few moments later a glow from behind and the appearence of Chief eased Samus's worry. "You made it!" Samus couldn't help herself hugging the spartan as soon as he appeared.

"I always make it." Chief replied exhaling returning the hug.

"All went according to plan." The chatty monitor began to speak about how Chief saved the ring from destruction.

"Thank you for your hel..."

"Thank you reclaimer." The monitor dismissed the spartans thanks. "Endless years of overseeing a dead facility. I finally have found a new meaning through you."

Samus watched the Halo ring from the window noticing a large but small from this far away creature flying off into space away from the Halo. "You bastard!" Samus smashed a fist onto the window cill. Samus noticed the talking had stopped behind her she looked over her shoulder to see everyone staring at her. Nervously smiling she activated her combat visor hiding her face as she sat in the copilot chair next to Kelly.

"Goodbye reclaimer I will now take the Halo for repairs and safe hiding." 859 bid his goodbyes.

"Wait taking Halo where?" Fred stopped the monitor.

Back aboard the Infinity Chief was debriefing the mission with Lord Hood. Outside the bridge was the rest of blue team. "That was a hell of a mission." Kelly sighed streaching her arms.

"So it was." Linda agreed.

"It was awesome." Samus bubbly agreed as well

"What the hell were you yelling about back on the ship there kiddo?" Kelly playfully punched Samus's arm.

"Oh nothing... Just something I saw."

"Oh like what?" Fred was curious.

"Nothing just Ridley flying off into space." Samus finally gave in.

"Right that bastards still out there. Well I don't think he will be messing around with this Halo crap any longer, best not to worry kiddo." Kelly shrugged off the fact that Ridley was still active like it was no big deal.

That answer almost made Samus blow up out of rage. How could they pass off a killer off as just fine nothing to worrry about.

"Master Chief you are dismissed. We will let you know if anything comes up." Lord Hood called out as the spartan left through the doors.

"Sir I thought they were supposed to be retired after the mission. Why did you tell him we will call him if something comes up?" Lasky questioned the admirals actions.

"I didn't quite have the heart to do it yet. I will soon after they settle and adjust to relaxing for a while without being put in a cryo chamber." Lord Hood replied as if it was a simple question he had answered.

A few weeks had passed Blue team continued training and hadn't noticed any change around them. Except for the now oddly distant teen which confused them completely.

Chief walked over to his team training on the sparring mats. "Have any of you seen Samus?"

"Not a chance John that kid is harder to find then Linda is undercover in the night." Kelly replied flipping Fred over her.

"Does anyone know where she went then?" Chief exhaled looking over to the exit.

"No idea sorry John try the asking the marines they have probably seen her more then we have."

"Just walk through the corridor I'm sure you'll hear them all gabbing about her doing something." Linda suggested pinning Fred with Kelly.

"I will be back soon." John sighed exiting the training facility.

This is what happens when you unleash a teen they dissapear on you trying to do everything to avoid you. Chief thought to himself as he passed the soldiers in the halls.

"That kid sure knows how to build."

"Have you seen the ship she's building?"

"Ship!?" Chief's outburst made the marines visibly jump.

Spinning around Chief hightailed it back to his team. "She's building a ship!"

All three gapsed. "What!?" Fred stood up making Linda and Kelly fly to opposite sides of him.

"Oh hell no what the fuck does this girl have planned now!?" Kelly practically sprinted full force out the doors.

"Don't know but we are about to find out." Fred looked at Chief and Linda.

Running through the hallway like there was a fire the marines all cleared a path for the spartan team. Samus saw the charging team as she was walking towards the training facility they ran past her not even noticing the teen watching in confusion.

"Where's the fire?" Samus called from behind the team.

"Kid!" Blue team spun around running back to the teen waiting for them.

Kelly grabbed Samus and pulled her off into a busy rec room. "Everyone get out now." Kelly ordered the soldiers in the room.

"Double time double time get out!" Kelly rushed the soldiers as the team entered Kelly shut the door.

"What's wrong guys?" Samus was confused usually she was the hyper one not the team.

"What's wrong is why the hell are you building a ship in secret!?" Kelly snapped.

"I have been doing that for a while now I thought you already knew?" Samus put her hands up hoping that would shield her from Kelly.

"No Samus we didn't know that when the hell did you start doing that?"

"Um a couple years ago."

John pulled Kelly off to the side stepping infront of the teen. "I don't care when or how you've built this ship. What I want to know Samus is why you have a ship?"

Samus looked up John looking him straight in the eye she could tell he was being extremely serious with her. Gazing at the team behind him they were as serious as he was Samus could just read the worry behind the serious looks. Samus's expression changed from shocked and confused to guilty and upset.

The entire team tensed up feeling they weren't going to like the answer about to come from the teen.


	7. Chapter 7

**Warning this story is going to further go into family, breaking down Master Chief's relationship with Samus. So yes he is not quiet and solitary about the relationship to his team, although I will have him try and hide it from them.** **Ok this story is not completely canon to Halo as I am skipping years and whatever. And it is definetely not canon in anyway to the Metroid series.** **I am bringing in Sylux as a side villan I don't know much about his character so he is pretty much completely made up. **

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Chapter 7 Part 1: Hearts Of Steel Never Let Go

All of Blue team except one, was calm and silent waiting for the terrible answer they were dreading. Meanwhile Kelly was livid she was not about to listen to the one thing they have accomplished to keep safe for almost five years say she was about to walk out. "I swear to god if you say you're leaving I will beat you." she threatened.

"I've been thinking about going out on my own."

"Aaah!" Kelly pinned the poor scared teen to the wall. "I told you not to say that!" Kelly growled as Fred and John pulled her off Samus.

"Samus are you being serious right now?" Linda asked in her calming voice watching Kelly be pulled off to the side.

Samus watched as the two men tried to restrain Kelly's rage. "I don't know..." Samus found herself unprepared for this conversation with her family of Spartans.

"No no no, you don't get a say in this. You are too young to go out all on you're own forget it Kid!" Kelly shook Chief and Fred off.

"I am not anymore Kelly." Samus simply replied.

Fred stood next to the teen. "There has to be a reason for you wanting to leave kid, what is it?"

"I just think I'm ready to leave."

"You know we were just joking when we talked about wondering around space as a freelancer." Kelly mentioned the previous conversation they had a while ago.

"I wasn't. Ridley is still out there, along with other horrible beings with terrible intensions." Samus replied as serious as possible.

"You can't just go chasing threats around the universe."

"I can't just stand around waiting for him to strike again, causing more devastation. Plus I highly doubt the UNSC is going to chase down Ridley. They seem to have a full agenda of things they want to conquer all on their own." Samus argued with the enraged female spartan.

Chief could tell Samus was already beginning her hunt all in her mind. She was proving her argument to be valid in everyway. He couldn't stand to think of Samus going out all on her own against all odds without someone guiding her. Abandoning the issue at hand, promptly leaving the rec room, John wanted to go think on his own for a while. The world around him was crumbling before him. His missions were being cut short it was as if the UNSC had dismissed him from duty. And now he was once again going to loose something he had grown attached to his life. With this much emotional beating John was surprised he hadn't become a complete mental case over these many years of war.

Kelly stormed towards the door. "You know what kid just go leave be on your own." Kelly threw her arms up in defeat.

Linda nor Fred had anything to say anymore for once they were shocked and had no idea how to handle this situation.

"You know I'm not being unappreciative right?" Samus looked up at the two for a reply.

The two spartans only answered by exiting the room leaving the teen alone and by herself in the rec room. Sighing Samus secretly wished she didn't exist at the moment, she wasn't expecting to cause that much grief to the team. Right now she was more lost then ever. Torn between her burning desire to finally use her full abilities to hunt down enemies through the universe, and staying with the team keeping their anger with her at bay.

"Chief..." the teen knew she would find her favourite spartan in the shooting range.

Chief barely acknowledged the blonde girl approaching him. "I know you're upset with me, you have a right to be. I just want you to know I'm not being unappreciative, I've appreciated everything you've done for me and more. Maybe we didn't start out to well, me being a little brat that had to question everything and get into trouble. Now I'm older and have been through a lot with you and the team, learning my mistakes along the way. I know I've been stubborn, giving you a hard time by avoiding you more offten, and I apologize for that." Samus exhaled looking from the corner of her eye to see if the spartan would nod in acknowledgment. But to no avail the green titan stood frozen. "I feel like I'm in a restraint, always under rules to limit my abilities and weaponry, I know I can do more."

John thought to himself, in some strange way he understood the girls words. Being under command limiting your abilities. Being told what to do, even though you feel you should do the opposite of what you're told, and straight up ignore the order for once.

"I just think I've grown out of being under control by military operations. I need to take things into my own hands, find my own mission to take on. I'm not planning on letting Ridley or any other evil lords continue they're destruction through the universe." Samus snapped John out of his thoughts.

"I don't belong here Chief. You understand what I mean right?" Samus knew if there was anyone that would understand her reasons for her actions it would be Master Chief.

John paused his shooting to listen to the teens words. Mulling over the small speech Samus had given him he kept silent continuing to fire at the target ahead.

Backing away the teen exhaled. "Ok... I'll just... leave you alone..." Samus was heartbroken at the fact that Chief refused to speak to her. Upon leaving the range Samus met the rest of the team as they entered. Trying to give the team a warm smile as they passed by her, they pretty much ignored her continuing their way into the range. Samus had nothing left to give the spartans for approval, beginning to regret her choice of leaving.

Samus exited the range running straight into someone. "Whoa sorry about that. Hey you didn't fall this time." Samus barely recognized the voice until she looked up seeing the mans face. It was that spartan she had run into in the hallway the first day she was brought onto the Infinity.

"Sorry I wasn't looking." Samus apologized with a sigh.

"It's alright kid you've sure grown since I last saw you. I was beginning to wonder if you were still on this ship." Thorne smiled at the teen.

"...Yeah... I'm still here..." Samus gaze kind of wondered past the man in a black jumpsuit.

"So where's your team I'm surprised to see you apart from them?" Thorne chuckled.

Samus was beginning to wonder if the spartan four would ever stopped talking. "They're in the range." Samus began to walk away only to be followed by the spartan four.

"Hey I don't think I ever caught your name or don't remember. Do you remember mine?"

It was official the spartan talked more than she did. "I don't remember sorry." Samus shrugged and kept her reply short.

"Thorne and yours?" the spartan four kept up with the agitated teen.

"Samus Aran." she introduced herself continuing past numerous soldiers in the corridor.

"Well then Aran I was about to head to the sparring mats would you care to join me?" Thorne was too friendly for his own good.

"Don't you have a team you can do that with?" Samus tried her best not to sound cold.

"They're already in there doing the paint simulator." Thorne chuckled not taking offence to the teens tone.

Samus thought for a moment as the training facility doors were quickly approaching. "Why not I've got nothing better to do." Samus shrugged.

In the range blue team was discussing Samus's upcoming choice she has to make.

"Can you believe her. Almost five years, and she's ready to move on without us?" Kelly was still fumming from earlier.

"We might be being a little to harsh on her, honestly it's the kids choice, not ours." Linda felt sympathy for Samus's argument.

"I'm not sure how to take this all in. It feels wierd It's like we're loosing another teammate." Fred was confused at the whole situation.

"She has a choice." the barritone voice finally spoke up.

"Yeah we know, and she is choosing the wrong one." Kelly scoffed.

"No, she is old enough now, to decide weather she want's to be a part of our team and UNSC. Or leave and freelance." Chief shook his head at Kelly.

"John she's already made her choice!"

"Those two choices might change her mind though." Fred agreed with his leaders strategy.

"I agree with John on this one Kelly it's a smart move." Linda reassured the brunet.

"Fine we will try John's way. If it dosen't work we use my method." Kelly grumbled.

"We are not holding her hostage Kelly." Fred shot a pointed look at the speed runner.

"Whatever I'm just trying to keep the kid with us."

On the sparring mats Thorne was getting more then what he had bargained for as Samus held her own winning two of the three matches they had done.

"Ok lets do something else." Thorne exhaled deeply as he stood back up.

"Want to race?" Samus gestured over to the track.

"Running now?" Thorne sighed looking up at the ceiling. "Yeah I guess so fine."

Samus was already at the track waiting impatiently. "Hurry up then!" Samus waved from where she stood on the track.

"On it." Thorne chuckled jogging over.

"Ready set go!" Samus gave the spartan four no time to stop to ask how many laps.

"Hey wait!" Throrne turned his jog into a sprint to catch up to the teen. "How many laps Samus!?" Thorne began to gain on the teen.

"I don't know 10 I guess." Samus slowed her pace slightly for the spartan four to chatch up.

"Fare enough." Thorne began running faster keeping beside the teen now.

On their ninth lap Thorne felt the need to try and bug the teen. "Tired yet?"

"You know you waste more energy talking right?" Samus scoffed,it was someting Linda had said to her one day, when she wouldn't stop talking to the sniper.

Thorne chuckled as they finally began their final lap kicking himself into a higher gear as they closed in one the second corner. Samus began to drop back before the final turn, only to hear Thorne taunt her just as she predicted. "You sure you're not tired? I'm going to win." Thorne looked over his shoulder.

Just as they hit the straight stretch to the finish line Samus unexpectedly bolted by the spartan four in a blue blur. "The hell!?" Thorne wondered what just flew past him.

"I win." Samus stood waiting for Thorne to cross the finish line.

"Really you're going to beat me at everything?" Thorne caught his breath.

"Yep." Samus grined mockingly.

"Those Spartan twos sure trained you well." Thorne stetched his arms.

Samus couldn't agree more with the spartan four. "Yeah they did." Samus turned her head away.

"Hey I know you take disobeying orders to a new level. Chief sure had that incredible patients for you, because you are beginning to listen on missions." Thorne tried to start a conversation.

"Thanks?" Samus didn't know weather that was a compliment or a point to be proven.

Thorne cuffed a hand on Samus's shoulder. "Hey team work isn't for everybody. But when you do listen you connect really well with Blue Team." Thorne watched as his team exited the paint simulator.

"That's true." Samus shrugged watching Chief enter the training facility.

"Trust me I've pissed off enough people to know that." Thorne laughed making Samus chuckle as well.

"I highly qualify for that group." Samus joked while still laughing.

John scanned the place for a moment before finding the bright blue jumpsuit the teen wore with ease, seeing her at the track with a spartan four. Chief tried to walk over as casually as possible, as his hostility spiked, seeing the teen with a spartan she barely knew.

"Ha it's alright though, there's always other teams to try out, sometimes you just don't click with the first squad you get on." Thorne continued to joke around.

Hearing the last sentence from the spartan four made Chief's stride go at a faster pace.

Samus ignored the green armoured spartan that came up behind her. Thorne didn't though as he respectfully saluted the spartan two. "As you were soldier. Samus may I speak with you?" Chief grabbed hold of the teens shoulders as Thorne relaxed.

Samus didn't answer frowning she looked away from both spartans.

"Hey don't be grumpy with a superior Samus. Smile no wait don't smile look serious and give him an answer." Thorne's outgoing personality brought a smile and a small laugh out of Samus.

Chief wasn't impressed by this childish behaviour from both the teen and spartan four. Though he was more irritated about the fact that Samus was listening to Thorne and not him.

"Ow!" Samus winced as Chief tightened his grip on her shoulders.

Chief turned Samus towards the direction of the exit and told her in a firm voice to move. Samus did as she was told moving towards the exit in an unhappy manner.

"Bye Samus, maybe next time we can verse eachother in paint." Thorne called out watching the two leave towards the door.

"Yeah that would be... Bye..." Samus didn't exactly have a chance to reply as Chief glared down at her moving her faster.

When they finally entered the hallway Samus shook off Chief and lept away from him. "What is your problem!?" for once in her life she snapped at John.

"Don't start mingling with other soldiers, they only want to make everything a competition to see who's better." Chief immediately replied in an advisable tone.

"It seemed fine to me, besides, he was more annoying than competitive." Samus replied quirking an eyebrow. "Why are you so hostile about this? As much as you and the team are acting like asses right now, you will always be my number one spartan to follow Chief." Samus gave an honest sigh, noting her interactions must have some how felt like a betrayal to Chief.

Chief was taken back by the words Samus had just said to him. Her words confirmed to him, no matter what the team or him say or do with the teen, she still has an unconditional love for them. "Samus we need to talk about what is going on with you."

Samus snorted. "Now you want to talk? I'm sorry I thought you were to busy shunning me with the rest of the team." she began to walk off down the hallway.

Chief noted that the sweet little comment, was probably the only kind thing to escape the still fuming teen. "Samus we apologize for that. We were in shock, and didn't know how to reply to the news you gave us." Chief followed the angered teen.

"Look." John pulled Samus into his quarters as they passed by it almost.

Samus stood frowning as she was held in place surrounded by the whole team now.

"We need to ask you a serious question now." Chief crouched down to Samus's level.

"Shoot..." Samus sighed staring back at herself in the golden visor.

"You are old enough to decide now. You have a choice to join our team and the UNCS, or become the freelance bounty hunter you want to be."

Samus was silent musing over the choices given to her. Looking up she saw the entire team staring at her no longer angered now they just looked plain scared and worried. Feeling under pressure with all the spartans waiting. "I... I... Just... um..." Samus couldn't find the words for her answer.

"We will honor what ever you chose Samus." John reassured the nervous teen.

After a few more agonizingly long moments. "I'm sorry... I want to be a bounty hunter." The words came out painfully as she felt the whole teams hearts sink.

Chief was going to answer right away but took a moment to collect his thoughts. "Is this what you really want to do?" John finally found his voice.

Hesitantly she confirmed her choice. "Yes." in her heart she said no, but in the back of her mind she knew that she couldn't let evil terrorize the universe forever. And knew she couldn't possibly accomplish that under strict millitary orders.

John sighed standing up. "Ok Samus."

Kelly sighed apologetically. "Sorry for acting so hostile earlier kid, I just really couldn't stand to think that you would leave us one day." The team almost looked surprised at Kelly's apology. "We've all grown attached to you over the years. Now that you've reached your full potential of running with spartans, you are prepared to go out on your own, and kick ass."

Samus smiled at Kelly's acceptance of her choice. "Thanks Kelly."

"You have finally found the patients to be able to cooperate on a battlefield. Couldn't be prouder of you kid." Fred nodded proudly at the teen.

John exhaled deeply trying to find the a way to express how he accepted the teens choice. "Samus I have to be honest with you. You arrived and you changed this team drastically, I thought it was for the worst, and tried to keep our distance away from you. But you proved to put more skill into us than take away. Raising you has taught us a higher level of tolerance, protectiveness, and control on a whole different scale. And that we can finally thank you for." John didn't want to accept the fact that a child he practiacally raised was about to leave him. Considering his team was probably the one and only spartan team to have ever rescue and raise a child on their own, and never was that in their childhood training.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble I put you through. I know I took you completely out of your normale solitary personalities, and made you guys look like completely different soldiers." Samus couldn't help herself hugging her favoured spartan.

"Don't apologize for that. You were just a shock to our systems, you were the one that didn't hate or love us for what we did. You stuck to us like glue, liking us just for who we are, prying our personalities back out of us." Linda reassured the teen she hadn't done anything wrong.

"Plus who knows maybe you will be hired as an asset to the UNSC." Kelly mentioned.

"That's a possibility." Samus agreed.

"Alright you sure know how to turn a normale day into a long day. How about we rest on this decision and see you change your mind when you wake up?" Fred smiled.

"Fred." Samus playfully punched the spartan.

"Ok goodnight kid." Fred patted Samus's head before exiting.

Both female spartans felt the need to hug the teen and never let go. "Kelly I can't breath..." Samus gasped for air as she was hugged by two spartans.

"Sorry kid just letting you know we will never let go of you." Kelly smiled warmly as she exited with Linda.

Samus stood next to the door and watched the three leave, while Chief solemnly walked over to his desk, grabbing something before sitting down on his berth. Samus sighed, turning around to see Chief hanging his head low, fidgeting with something in his hand. Sitting next to the depressed spartan Samus leaned against the super soldiers shoulder. "You're going to be ok, right Chief?" she asked in that innocent tone.

"I think so." John exhaled wrapping an arm around the teen. "I just want to say you have changed my life I really feel accomplished. Raising you was the hardest mission I have ever done. The whole team was unprepared for you but we stuck to it and pulled through raising you through war." Samus laughed at the way Chief explained. "And now... you're leaving..." Samus stared up at him with those beautiful blue mixed coloured eyes. "Know that no matter when and where, you will always be an official member of our team." John said handing the teen something. "Yes you can keep these." he half joked handing Samus his dog tags remebering when the teen grabbed them asking if she could keep them.

Chuckling Samus took the ID tags examining them. "Thank you Chief." After placing the dog tags around her neck she gave the spartan another hug. This goodbye was really beginning to weigh heavy on her conscious as her smile sooned turned to tears.

John no longer held back on his fear of showing his emotions to the girl returning the embrace with sorrow, pain, and love.

After a long heartfelt conversation, Chief finally decided it was time for them to go to sleep. After hours of waiting, John finally fell asleep, after his emotions gave him a break. Samus snuck out of her berth, standing beside the spartans slumbering form, sighing she turned to the table with all of the spartan's armour placing a small object with a note next to his helmet. Samus knew the door would wake the leader up, flashing her armour on she pried off a vent hatch on the floor and rolled through in morphball, exiting into the corridor.

Walking down the quiet almost empty hallway Samus finally made it to the bridge Finding the Captin working hard by himself. "Sir?" Samus called getting the officers attention.

"Samus good evening, it's pretty late for you to be wondering around, is Blue Team still up?" Lasky looked up from his data pads and welcomed the teen into the bridge.

"No sir. I'm just here to tell you that I will no longer be living on this vessel." Samus replied formally.

Surprised the captin stood up. "You wont? I suppose that ship you were building is finally complete?" Lasky smiled.

"Yes sir thank you for supplying me and allowing it's construction. But I am going to be a freelance bounty hunter." Samus replied.

The sound of the words shocked Lasky. "Bounty hunter. Hmm, we will keep you on record if we ever need help then." Lasky was peaceful with the teens choice of lifestyle even though he knew all to well that Bounty Hunting was illegal.

Samus nodded with a smile before turning to leave Lasky followed her in an escorting manner. Watching as she boarded her pristine ship that seemed to resemble the teens armour in colour.

"Safe travels." Lasky called as the teen took off flawlessly out of the hanger.

Morning came harshly, as Chief woke to find no teen goofing off with something in his room, as it was a normale routine in the mornings. Looking on the floor John saw the hatch of a vent laying on the floor. Rushing out the door hoping one of his spartans had Samus he entered Kelly's room. "Where's the fire John?" Kelly asked doing up her hair.

"Samus is gone."

"What!?" Kelly jumped up running with John to the other two team members.

They all regrouped in Master Chief's room after checking the training facilities and the aircraft hanger. "She seriously did not leave already she couldn't have!" Kelly denied as Chief suited himself up.

"She's gone." John confirmed leaning back against the table holding his helmet.

"What's that behind you John something flashed." Linda pointed out after seeing small blue flash on the table.

Turning around John immediately picked up the small chip like device and note. Reading the note in his head it read. Chief this is a long range communication device so we can speak no matter how far apart we are. I'm already programed into the device, all you have to do is plug it into your big head there's one for every one under your helmet, love Samus. John smiled at the quick witted comment in the note.

"What's it say John?" Kelly asked as Chief placed his helmet on revealing three more of the communication chips on the table.

"She left us long range communication devices." John handed the chips out.

Immediately they all placed the chips into the proper slots in their helmets.

Samus finally seeing a flashing blue light down on her control board on her ship, she answered the call. "You finally found the devices." Samus greeted.

"How the hell could you just leave with out saying?!"

"Hi Kelly, I didn't think you would let me when I had the chance." Samus laughed at the angered voice that replied first.

"You're probably right on that one. So where are you?" Kelly sighed in defeat.

"Not really sure I'm sort of following a wierd signal coming from a distant planet it seems to be space pirate related signal."

"Where are you we'll come help you?" John finally spoke saying what was on everyones mind.

"Chief I can do this on my own, I can handle it this time." Samus deeply sighed rolling her eyes. "Plus you don't have permission to leave so ha."

"Don't get smart with us just be safe please." Chief shook his head at his team.

"Don't worry I will be... Oh no I'm under fire got some bogey on my ass!"

That was enough to get the team startled with fear for the teen. "What!?"

"Just kidding!" Samus giggled through the comm.

"Brat you almost scared John straight out his armour!" Kelly growled.

"Says the one who jumped up first." Fred raised an eyebrow at the brunet.

"I can't help it if I'm faster than all of you." Kelly scoffed folding her arms.

"Wow you guys should see this planet it looks really neat. I will send you visuals." Samus transmited what she was seeing through her visor.

Each member of blue team recieved a small screen on the bottum left of their HUD recieving the video footage of Samus's vision.

"Um there's no way you are landing on that planet it's covered in nothing but lava." Linda scoffed watching the planet bubble as Samus entered the planets orbit.

"Uh yeah I am this is where the signal is coming from so I'm going in." Samus scoffed not giving the spartan team a choice. "I will contact you guys later after I've figured out what's on this planet." Samus mentioned as she parked her ship in a firey cavern.

"Negative stay on the line kid." Fred replied gruffly before John had a chance to.

"I'll be fine Fred, I've got all of your guys combat skills and more, what could go wrong." Samus replied confidently before signing off on the com.

"Damn we gave that kid to much confidence." Kelly muttered giving a careless hand gesture.

"I trust her she's a strong girl." John's confidence in his young freelanced warrior was only 50%, as he was still trying to resist the urge to highjack a ship and fly off to find the teen.

"Well, I'm off to go spar. Anyone care to join while we wait for the brat to return her call?" Kelly pushed off the wall she was leaning against.

"I think we could all use a distraction." Fred put a hand on his leaders shoulder gesturing towards the door.

John didn't like the fact that he had to be distracted to ignore the five year mission that ended so abruptly. "Let's do the paint then." John suggested trying to sound optimistic so the situation didn't seem to worrisome.

"Even better." Linda nodded. "A free for all, or teams?" her voice carried over the voices in the hallway.

"We could do teams I suppose, they will be even now that the kid isn't here." Kelly shrugged.

That missing fifth person was something they've had to deal with most of their lives Chief supposed. "Fred and Linda against Kelly and I one round capture the flag, then we can have a free for all." he gave out a list of activities the team could do.

"Thanks for the itinerary sounds good." Kelly smirked giving John a smack.

Meanwhile 9 hours into exploring the planet, Samus Was fighting a large flaming death worm from the pits of hell itself. Samus backflipped out of the way of it's razor filled jaws. Aiming her cannon she began filling it's mouth full of missiles. The creature shrilled in pain thrashing about as it's body began melt and burn from the inside. Watching the beast disintegrate Samus grabbed and tossed a stone across the fire river she stood next to. "Dammit, nothing but mindless monsters!" Samus hissed irritated there was no sign of the evil dragon or his space pirate army. It seemed more like an abandoned pirate research center.

"Oh on the contrary young warrior, not all here are mindless." a sisnister unfamiliar voice echoed from above.

Samus was quick to react to the voice, pointing her cannon to the sky, frantically scanning the area she saw nothing at first glance. Then a figure out of the shadows the fire could not illuminate appeared tall but not dragon like. "Who the hell are you?!" Samus didn't hold back attempting to sound intimidating.

"Clearly you are new to the game of bounty. For I am a very well known hunter, most others only get in my way, such as yourself." the being leapt down a couple ledges reveling it's dark blue armour with green highlights on the faceless hunters armour.

"State your name jackass!" Samus ordered totting her cannon at the possible threat.

"So rude, and yet so young, where are your parents brat? You should not be here alone."

Samus was now overflowing with rage and irritation. "That's none of your business. I am perfectly capable on my own!" she hissed locking onto her target.

"Well as I recall my client seemed to have claimed the lives of your birth givers." The male alien hunter claimed.

"You bastard you work for Ridley!?" Samus spat charging her cannon.

"So you are Samus Aran, I found you, the exact target I need for the generous bounty price." Sylux hissed venomously finally landing infront of the younger soul.

Samus released her charge out of rage, her new foe simply moving his shoulder out of the premature shots way. "What Ridley can't do his own dirty work, he has to hire a stooge to do the job for him?"

"So eager and inexperianced." Sylux muttered ignoring the teens comment. "Though I am baffled, where are your comrades, Ridley warned me you would have company?"

"Chief..." Samus breathed, remembering it had been over 10 hours since she last contacted the team.

"No matter, alone or not, my mission is to reduce you to nothingness. And I Sylux intend to complete the mission." Sylux scoffed releasing a beam from his cannon.

Rolling out of the way Samus returned the shots. This was an unexpected battle Samus was unprepared for. Samus rushed the alien tackling him at full force Sylux was taken aback by the sudden blow, but was quick to react punching the girl in the head hard. Samus's adrenalin pumped so harshly through her body that she could bearly feel the blow to her head.

Sylux struggled under the teens strength, but he had no intention of letting such a young newbie beat him at the game of hunt. Freeing a his hand he clutched the girls throat tightly immobilizing the teens adrenalin rush.

As Sylux regained his standing position, he shot his weapon into the teen, draining her power for his own. Samus could only aim her cannon to the ground as she was loosing energy tanks quickly. Firing a missile at the hunters feet he dropped the her as he was blown back.

Samus had to think quickly being unprepared and inexperianced. She was not going to win this battle if she did not act fast. The planet seemed to be useless to her though touring through the planet she did find chozo technology finding herself some new weapons and armour upgrades. She gasped remembering one of her new beams, looking beyond the blue hunter she gazed at the glowing river of lava. That would surely slow down her opponent causing sever damage so he could not follow her escape. Thinking like Kelly Samus knew a good distraction would give her plenty of time to throw Sylux into the river of hell. Samus smirked as he fired at her she began to run circles around the dark blue hunter.

Sylux began firing prematurely trying to get a hit on the orange blur circling around him. After what felt like twenty minutes he finally got a hit in and the orange blur disappeared. Confused as his weapon could not disintegrate enemies, he looked around checking all his sensors for the teen.

Samus dove for the ground when she had gotten hit firing her ice beam behind Sylux creating a quickly melting ice rink. Turning into her morph ball she rolled fast towards the front of Sylux her colour blending in with the orange rocks he stood upon. Using a new power up she boosted her morphball raming into the blue hunter. He stepped back off balance he slipped on the remaining ice sliding himself into the burning lava behind.

He screamed in agony pulling himself out of the river he was burning alive.

Instead of running and escaping, Samus watched frozen by the tortured screams Sylux cried out.

Sylux aimed up firing at the unstable bolders above creating a cave in. During this he flung what remaining lava was on his hand at Samus hitting her in the same vulnerable spot on her throat. Samus snapped out of her trance as her throat burnt at what she imagined a billion degrees felt like, as rocks tumbled and shook the area. Samus's throat was damaged so badly she couldn't even scream in pain. The lava finally burned off and Samus regained her train of thought, realizing she would be burried alive if she didn't escape quickly.

"Damn you Samus Aran. I will hunt you down and kill you mark my words!" Sylux cursed as Samus began leaping up out of the volcano cavern, the same way she imagined Sylux came in as that is where she spotted him. Samus began calling her ship to pick her up as she surffaced.

Back in Infinity in the range John was sitting watching his team shoot while he was lost in his thoughts. He was worried for the missing teen, she had not replied in over ten hours and that was way over his instincts clock.

The others were worried but seemed more hopeful that the teen was successful in her journey.

Clearing his head of the teen, another thought crossed his mind. The whole day not a word from command came, nothing at all. No missions, no information on the war, they were being kept in the dark. What was happening why were they being kept in the dark like this? At that thought a pained whisper through his com shot him out of his thoughts. The team must have recieved the same whisper as they ceased their firing.

"Samus, Samus is that you!?" John gasped into his comlink.

Samus sunk deep in her pilot seat her suit deactivated. "You... bet... Chief... the... one... and only..." She coughed through searing pain.

"Samus what's wrong!?"

"Why do you sound like that!?"

The entire team began to freak out hearing the pained raspy sound of their teens voice.

Samus coughed through a chuckle. "Let's just say... I was in a... heated battle..."

Kelly with the others gathered around their leader. "Samus Aran get back here now, you need to recover and be treated!" Kelly demanded punching John in the shoulder out of frustration.

John clenched his shoulder and hissed. "Kelly is right Samus you sound in critical condition."

"It's fine... Chi...ef... it's just my throat..." The pained raspy whisper became harder to understand. "I... still... 100%... com...bat...rea...dy..." the pained cough made Chief wince as he could hear the blood being coughed up.

"Samus I don't like you being out there alone with no one to help you."

"That's not what you said earlier." Kelly snorted, causing John to walk away from her.

"Chief... I'm... tired... can we talk... La...ter..." Samus painfully sighed trying to hold back her tears as her eyes began to water from the pain.

"Samus what happened to your voice answer that first." Kelly sighed wanting to know the injury.

"Lava... thrown... onto... my... throat..." The girl harshly wheezed.

"How the fuck do you still have a throat?! If you don't get that treated right away there could be severe damage!" Kelly shouted.

"It's... not something... that can be..." Samus argued.

"Kelly she's right. Even if we treated it, there is not much we could do besides cool the burning, the damage is done." Linda threw in her valid argument.

"No no no, there has to be something we can do?" Fred denied the fact they could not help the teens injury.

"Fred we are doing the damage by speaking with her. If she stays quiet and rests her throat she might make a full recovery." Linda tried to prove to the two spartans there was nothing they could do.

"Rest for now. Message us through text later." Chief advised with a sigh.

"O...k... love... you... guys..." Samus signed off ending the call.

The spartans were baffled by the words. Though Samus had said it many times when she was younger. They have never been told they were loved, nor did they ever hear the word directed at them. "You to Samus..." Chief whispered under his breath doing something completely out of character.

"Wow that kid really means the world to you." Kelly's soft tone shocked John.

Had Kelly heard his whisper? "Of course she does, to all of us." He replied caught off guard. After all these solitary years it's taken a little girl to show him how to use his emotions.

"Samus is seen as our little sister. But to you she's something more."

"Kelly you're blowing the same steam you did a while ago..." John's body was numb, he was sure if his helmet was off he would be red with embarrassment. Though he shouldn't feel embarrassed about the fact that he knew Samus was not by blood, was his daughter in every other way. His embarrasment was probably from the fact he did not want to be seen as a soft pillow of emotions letting himself come undone. No he was still a serious super soldier that knows how to do his job damn well, and will always be taken seriously. He thought for a moment, he was not a robot, and shouldn't have to feel like he had to be one.

"Kelly eveyone knows Samus Aran is John the Master Chief's little girl. And will always be that rescued adopted daughter of the galaxies greatest spartan." Fred cuffed a strong hand on his leaders shoulder. "We don't see you as weak because you have a love for a kid you rescued and pretty much adopted."

"Hell we love her just as much." Linda snorted totting her sniper rifle.

"Thank you blue team." John sighed. "Enough of this, we need to figure out why we haven't gotten any mission or information in the last few weeks." John cleared his throat, regaining the subject to a more serious manner.

Samus reclined in her pilots chair her recent battle replaying in her head. It hurt to breath and talk. Like Kelly, she was wondering how her throat was still there and functional. After a few hours of sleep her throat cooled off, the burning though had lingered. But the constant pain remained, the feeling of burnt flesh and vocal cords. Trying to speak testing out her vocals, she no longer had the will to try and speak. Tasting nothing but the rich crimson blood clogging her throat. As much as she would love to call Chief and tell him how awesome her battle was she couldn't will herself past the pain to speak. Loosing her thoughts in sleep she was begining to plan her next venture, noting she had to be careful. As much as she was a hunter, she was also being hunted.

Chapter 7 Part 2: Never Ending Battle

He wasn't happy, he wasn't sad, was he confused? John was waiting for another order, a mission, any information. He had to much to think about with to much time on his hands. Sitting around waiting for command to command him and his team, like eager little dogs waiting to be fed. Being over a year now, Chief never realized how occupied he was kept, when Samus was around getting into everything. Since Samus's departure, the missions have been steady. Many of them reacon, or taking bases back from the Covenant. Having his team back made things better, but it still felt like he was missing something. Samus was of course the first thing that came to mind, but another was Cortana. As much as he watched her die, he somehow felt she was alive out in the universe somewhere.

"John you ok?" Fred's voice knocked him out of his deep thoughts.

Chief nodded turning to his friend. "Just thinking." he sighed turning his head towards the two female spartans sparing.

"Samus on your mind again?" Fred sat next to his leader on the resting area bench.

"Samus yes..." Chief exhaled.

"Something else on your mind Chief?"

John was not one to speak about himself, bearly speaking his mind anymore, he knew the team was beginning to worry. "No Fred." he replied firmly.

"Is Cortana worming her way back into your mind again?" Fred knew where to hit John's mind.

John didn't answer, standing up from the bench, he didn't want to talk about it at the moment or any time soon.

Standing up himself the other male spartan sighed. "Ok then. Samus hasn't replied in almost a year and you're just fine then?" Fred scoffed stretching his limbs.

"Samus had texted about 14 months ago she said she found another galaxy of interest, with another galactic millitary that hires her often. Samus said she had been in numerous deadly battles with parasites and some old enemies. Something called X parasites, Metroids, and Phazon. Also she has been finding herself some armour upgrades."

"Is that all? 14 months is a long time John." Kelly mentioned as her and Linda approached the two.

"I will try contacting Samus now the..."

John was interrupted by the captain Calling blue team into the bridge.

"Guess it will have to wait." Linda sighed following her teamto the bridge.

In a distant galaxy Samus was busy texting mission complete to the GFS Olympus. Her body finally returning back to it's normale hybrid self, after a terrible internal battle with phazon. Beating her darker clone, ridding the galaxy from her spreading phazon poison.

Samus was finally fed up with the federations constant endless missions. The big ones were fine and interesting, but the charting and escorting was more irritating than interesting, with the exception of when the X Parasite infected her. Sighing deeply Samus thought her on going battles have taken her experience in bounty hunting to greater level. Taking out all the major threats, she now had only the boring jobs to do. Thinking for a moment watching the orange clouds float by, skytowns maintenance steam bots flying around like busy bees. Her last mission was harsh, having to murder corrupted fellow hunters she fought beside. Although she had no history with them, with her friendly demeanor, she thought maybe they could have been friends in the hunter world. But fate said other wise. Bounty hunting didn't exactly qualify as a family lifestyle, internally she missed blue team, and wished they could have joined her. That gave her the next venture plan, hopping back in her ship she immediately began to tap at the keys on her dash board.

In one of Infinity's hanger bays blue team was busy prepping a pelican for a mission.

"Hey John text from Samus, you reading it?" Kelly announced handing a crate of ammo to Fred.

"Reading now." John sighed walking off to the side of the pelican they were prepping.

"She completed her last "awesome" mission and wants to come visit us." Linda read the text out loud as she fired up the pelican.

Fred exhaled placing weapons on the mounts in the aircraft. "Well maybe the kid can join us on taking back Argent Moon?"

"She would have to meet us there, I guess we could send her the coordinates." Kelly stocked the ammo in the storage compartments opposite of Fred.

"We would have to inform the Captain and commander." John sighed not really wanting to contact command.

"We can do it on the way, we got to go the bird all warmed up." Kelly escorted Chief into the pelican. She didn't mind Lasky Kelly though was more than happy to avoid Palmer.

John knew Kelly had no patients for the commander, as she had called the camander a bitch after many encounters with Palmer.

"Plus command probably dosen't want to do the extra data work, when we could when we come back." Fred raised an eyebrow behind his visor.

John noted that the whole team seemingly disliked the commander. He had no opinion of Palmer, and nor did he exactly care if she was worthy of his opinion.

Heading into the cockpit Chief sighed not liking that plan. "Fine lets go." John exchanged looks with Linda, trading places he sat down in the pilot seat. In the back of his mind he was ok with Infinity being oblivious to Samus. As much as Lasky hadn't had a problem with Samus going rogue, bounty hunting was illegal. Legally they could turn Samus in. They could also get court martialed for associating with an illegal hunter.

Samus recieved a transmission moments later, giving her coordinates to a set course the team was heading to. An ONI base that was over run by covenant. It had been quite some time since she had fought covenant. But with new skills and new armour upgrades, the covenant began to sound like a breeze. Considering the enemies she had been fighting most of the mosters were the size of a small armyin one. Locking the course into her ship it jumped becoming nothing but a strand of light.

Coming out of slipspace Samus almost ran straight into a jetpacking blue team in an astroid field.

"Scatter!" John commanded as the team split into different directions away from the speeding ship.

"Dammit!" Linda hissed bearly missing clipping the wing of Samus's ship.

"Well the kids here." Kelly sighed standing on an astroid.

Samus's ship smashed directly into a large glass wall surprising whatever sangheili were lucky enough to get out of the way.

Blue team flying in from behind, as the vacum sucked the rest of the elites out the smashed window. Kelly and Fred caught the unlucky stragglers assasinating them as they gasped for the last breath they could take in the open space.

Walking around the forced parking job, Master Chief was met with a taller stronger still brightly armoured, mature teen.


	8. Chapter 8

**Spoiler warning if you have not played Halo 5 yet read at your own risk! It isn't the greatest chapter but it's something damn writers block!**

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Chapter 8 Part 1: A Silent Reunion

"Area clear." Fred confirmed relaxing his grip on his DMR.

Master Chief was expecting the usual hug or squeal of joy from the teen, as he peered around the unexpected parking job at the fully armoured teen. Standing tall and strong, waiting for the predicted actions, none of the thought actions ever came.

Samus was overjoyed to see her father figure standing infront of her once more. Though she could not at the moment voice her excitment, she expressed an excited jolt with her body before halting the movement. In the back of her mind she told herself to keep her excitment to a mature level. Attempt to show and prove to Chief, and the other spartans, that she had grown into a more independant, mature young bounty hunter.

"Nice grand entrance kid, next time make sure the landing strip is clear of spartans." Kelly scoffed cocking her shotgun at the wreckage.

Samus smiled at Kelly's usual sarcastic demeanor before making a gesture to move on from their current position, Samus headed further into the building without a single word to the very heroic Blue Team.

The team watched flabbergasted, as the teen strode past their stunned standing bodies, to take point position.

Dropping her shotgun to her side Kelly huffed. "The hell?" quirking an eyebrow behind her visor.

"Is that the kid?" Linda quried just as baffled by the teens unusual behaviour as Kelly was.

Samus stood on a catwalk that lead to a hanger bay, scanning everything while waiting for the team.

Master Chief wasnt to hesitant on following the teen seconds later, still just as confused as the rest of his team.

"Samus?" John walked right up to the teen, placing a firm hand on her shoulder, turning her with a swift flick of his wrist.

Samus could no longer hold back herself, hugging the team leader immediately after being turned around.

"There's the kid we all know." Fred chuckled with a sigh of relief he brought his weapon up to his chest, scanning the area with his eyes.

"Had us worried for a moment brat, thought you were sick or something." Kelly scoffed as Samus gave her a playful bump.

Fred reached out one arm for the approaching teen, tossing his DMR into his free hand. "With no hugs or happy greeting to John we thought you were broken for a sec back there." Fred gave another chuckle as a recieved his hug.

As Linda recieved her hug, she locked what would be eye contact if they wern't both wearing helmets with John. Like him, she felt something was off with the teen. "Samus why are you not speaking?" Linda held the teen by the shoulders.

"That's why it's so damn quiet." Kelly totted her shotgun grabbing the teens attention. "Jeez kid you're being quiter than Linda on a sniping mission.

Ignoring Kelly's comments Chief focused on his teen. "Samus?" John approached the teen and sniper.

Samus looked up into the golden visor, her combat visor blast shield off.

John could read her sad dissapointed eyes, something had happened to her to make her act this unusual. "Samus what's wrong, talk to me." he pressed further, his aging eyes trying to look deeper into the blue and green mixed mystery eyes of his teen.

Looking away Samus was gone off in her own thoughts. She hadn't spoken since the first day she went bounty hunting. Her encounter with Sylux had maimed her. The last time she had spoke was freshly after the encounter, the last ones to hear her voice had been blue team.

Samus couldn't push past the pain to try and use her voice again. Fearing the burning pain the teen gave up talking all together. She hadn't spoken a single word in over a year, nor had she tried. Able to make noise, but somehow not having to make conversation with everyone she encountered had given her a lack for necessary voice use. A simple nod was the most she had given for an answer.

(Lets go, Covenant are not going to clear themselves out.) John recieved a texted message from the teen standing in front of him. Cocking his head back in shock, he was confused and wanted to press further but didn't have a choice as Samus continued down the catwalk and into the building.

"What's with her John?" Linda stepped beside her leader with her rifle resting on her shoulder.

"Not sure Linda, lets move out though blue team." John sighed pressing forward behind the teen.

"What do we know about Argent Moon?" Fred jogged down a hallway.

"It's an ONI research station, went dark about 19 months ago. Last week Kig Yar scavengers found it and sold the find to Jul Mdama." Linda replied as they peared over the rails at the aircrafts left behind.

"We clear the covenant and return the base to ONI." John walked towards another hallway passing controls to his right.

"Fastest way to retrieval is to take down central control. Eliminate hostiles between here and there, and deactivate gravity and life support systems." Kelly gave out a game plan.

Linda jogged up beside Chief and Samus. "Ship data center is straight ahead, Argent Moon scamatics should be there."

Sliding down a ramp stepping down a couple steps towards a door, Samus could hear unggoy whining, and complaining on the other side.

(Hostiles on the other side.) Samus pointed as she texted to the team as the door opened.

The unggoy were to caught up in their complaining to notice the teams approach. Samus grappled the nearest one and flung the poor grunt into a wall. The crunch and splatter of the little alien was in ear shot of anyone in the room.

Chief managed to assassinate one of the fleeing unggoy while Fred and the others managed to fill the rest of the hostiles with bullets. John heard Sangheili through the next door yelling at the grunts.

Samus noticed a service tunnel and quickly morphed into a ball and rolled on through flanking the arguing aliens.

Chief lead the team through the next door to see Samus bounce her morph ball off an elites head. Before blasting him in the head ending his life and stirring up the grunts serving him.

The kill was almost comical to John as he began returning fire at the oncoming blasts from jackles and other covenant soldiers.

Jumping up a ramp rounding a corner to catch Samus attacking a group of grunts with an agitated sangheili pulling out an energy sword. Hitting the deck missing the first swing, Samus blasted the last few grunts then rolled out of the way of the active sword. Aiming her cannon at the alien, a lethal ring and pop came piercing through the tall aliens head.

"Cut it a little close kid?" Linda sighed as the barrel of her sniper cooled.

(Pun intended?) Samus smiled standing back up.

"Good one kid." Kelly chuckled following Chief through the next door.

"Data center" Ignoring the puns and jokes, Chief began walking over to the data center computer.

"We have a complete set of data set keys that we can use for the station, it should allow us to recieve Argent Moon scymatics to the centeral control." Linda replied to Chief's announcement.

"Access the data banks, grab the data and current population map." John ordered and Samus and Fred got to work.

"Should be a straight walk through the assembely bay there are still prowlers in the hanger bays." Fred calculated a path for the team.

Looking at the burnt decaying human bodies Samus shook her head. (Nobody from ONI got out alive did they Chief?) Samus gazed up at the green armoured spartan.

He slumped his shoulders and sighed."No. Lets get moving." Chief changed the subject gesturing with his riffle for the team to move forward.

"Elevator, everybody on." Chief ordered stepping onto the elevator platform, ready to press the control buttons.

(Can I press the button!) Samus hopped beside John on the elavator.

A small smile crept behind his golden visor, he was glad the youthfulness was still hidden withing the maturing teen. Though he wished he could hear her voice express her excitment it makes the moment a bit more human. He guessed that thought would have been ironic to him if he said it aloud. With a deep exhale he gestured to buttons and nodded.

"You are such a child." Kelly sighed before leaning into Fred and Linda. "If she's not pressing our buttons it's for controls, or blowing up the Covenant." she whispered loudly.

Eagerly pressing the buttons after everyone was aboard, Samus then squeezed past Chief and watched through the elevator observation glass, out to the hanger bay while the spartans chatted about the covenant scavenging the ships for parts.

"The war with Arbiter must not be going well for Jul." Fred scoffed.

"Jul Mdama is a lot of things, but he's no prophet." Linda added with a growl.

(Who's Arbiter, and who's Jul Mdama?) Samus questioned, confused at what the spartan team was talking about. Though she mentally kicked herself for not researching and keeping herself up to date on the current war.

"Jul is a sangheili, the covenants leader." Kelly replied to one of the teens questions.

"The other is also sangheili, he has made an alliance between the humans and the Swords Of Sangheilios, a faction the Arbiter leads." Fred informed as they all hopped off the elevator.

(I remeber Chief mentioning Arbiter's name once)

"The Arbiter, is a friend." John replied to Samus's comment as he scanned the new room for contacts.

Samus jumped onto a storage crate with ease, getting a clearer look of the area. (Can I meet him?)

Sighing resting his riffle on the side of his leg, raising his free hand to escort Samus off the crate. "Maybe one day." After Samus's feet touched the floor he raised and pointed his weapon. "Let's break through this wall, and push through enemy lines, get to centeral control." Master chief ordered as he readied himself to blow down the fragile wall ahead.

Blowing through enemies was easy enough as Samus practacilly toyed with the covenant freezing, burning, electrocuting, and melting grunts and jackles alike.

Fred was wrestling with an elite getting glimpses of Samus's new skills and weapons. "Nice new toys kid." Fred finishing the final blow to the elite, twisting and contorting it's sword arm, stabing it's own sword through the sangheili's windpipe.

Samus was also in a battle with an elite, and beating it down badly. She grabbed it's sword arm and tore it backwards almost ripping it off, kicking the sword out of his giant hand, blasting the elite in the chest with her ice beam tossing the bastard across the room.

Kelly Looked over her shoulder after kicking a kig yar to the ground. "And new moves, I like it." she complimented as Samus tossed an elite past Chief's face.

"Areas clear, centeral control is just up ahead, lets move on through." Fred announced regrouping with Kelly, Linda, and Samus.

Chief began jogging on a steel mesh bridge, seeing the control doors on the other side. "Central control is just through those doors." Just as he neared the door a hunter blasted through a stack of crates, smashing the bridge apart. "Hunter!" Chief bearly announced as it smashed the bridge causing him to fall down into the depths below.

Samus jogged behind watching the Master Chief randomly collapse to the floor. (Chief?!) Samus lept over to the now blacked out leader's side standing on her knees in front of the downed spartan.

"John!" Kelly called out as a bunch of grunts came out of no where and fired upon the team.

Blacking out on the way down Chief woke shortly after to be in a cave surrounded by darkness. "Blue Team, Samus, do you read?" he picked up his assault riffle. "Samus do you read me?" Chief tried again, scanning the area with his eyes. The only thing iluminating the area was a blue light followed by a quiet humming. Approaching the light, it turned out to be an AI chip that seemed to resemble Cortana's. He knelt to pick it up, but the illusion disipated as soon as he did the said action.

"John." A faint familiar voice called and a blue light followed it down a cave.

Without question John slowly but cautiously followed the light to a cliff side.

"Chief, the domain is open, Maridian is next." John gazed up at the giant moon to see a sillouett of Cortana walking up to the cliffside across from him.

"Cortana?" Chief gave a confused tone at the site of the AI.

"John, the reclamation is about to begin." She continued, raising her arms as if commanding something to rise.

The ground began to quake and rocks began to shift and crumble as a mechanical growl came as a large dark shadowed figure rose from the crevasse. Pointing his riffle at the shadowed thing he got a weak feeling, faintly falling to his knees he could hear a voice calling his name.

"John, John are you ok?" Kelly asked holding a hand on her leaders back.

John woke up looking ahead to see concerned blue mixed coloured eyes piercing through him.

Kelly began helping her leader up off the ground. "Maridian she's on Maridian." John said getting back to his feet.

"Who is?" Kelly questioned.

"Cortana." Chief turned to the female speed runner.

"Cortana... I... thats not possible?" Fred questioned as they unlocked the next door.

"I thought you said she was gone?" Linda added following their leader.

"I watched her die."

(Who's Cortana that, the AI friend you talked about a while ago?)

John sighed. "We have a mission to focus on, we can talk about this later. Lights on blue team" dropping the subject he powered on his flashlight. "Fred get us back on course"

Continuing through the base they fought a few more squads of covenant soldiers, they eventually ended up near an observation window, blast shields opening to reveal Covenant ships exiting slip space.

"We are out numbered Chief. A few thousand to one." Fred pointed out.

(We can take them!) Samus bounced totting her cannon optimistically.

"Surrendering Argent Moon is not an option, niether is taking a whole fleet on." John replied. "We can forget about reclaiming the base, plan changes to access denial, scuttle the Argent Moon. Ships reactor core should be near here." John continued through to the next room.

Samus followed closley as Fred mentioned a previous battle plan, one that was most likely quite a few years before finding her. Continuing through the base reaching another elevator. Samus couldn't wait to blow it up, explosions just seemed to bring out the best thrill.

"There's chatter among the covenant, new arrivals say that Jul is dead." Kelly anounced listening in on the covenant com channels.

"Somebody cut the head off the covenant, bravo." Fred rolled his eyes behind his mask.

(What is that pile of crap on the floor?) Samus pointed out the window to a pile of hunter worms surrounded by armour.

John watched as the aliens morphed into a tall bulky walking tank. "Hunters."

"They're strong but slow, keep above them and fire at the vulnerable spots." Fred replied as the hunter spotted them in the halting elevator.

John protectively pulled Samus into him, away from glass, as the hunter smashed both of his arms into the glass wall cracking the casing. "Weapons free."

(Chief I'll take one, you guys get the other) Samus lept out of the elevator at the hunter.

"Samus no!" John called after the fleeing teen, he was cut off by more squads of covenant and another hunter. "Ugh, Blue Team focus fire on the stragglers!" He hissed in frustration.

Samus on the other hand was having to much fun, rolling under the hunter in morph ball she planted a few bombs. Throwing the hunter off balance, before transforming back and freezing one of it's legs causing it to fall with a thundering thud of heavy armour. It struggled to get back up off it's back, the scene reminded her of a turtle stuck on it's back.

"Kelly check your six!" Linda shouted over gun fire.

Samus looked over to see blue team struggling to take down the hunter and stragglers. Enough fooling around she thought to herself. Unloading a couple of super missiles into the downed hunter it exploded into burnt out worms, orange blood splattered across the floor and her armour.

John unloaded a few rounds into the hunters vulnerable back making it furious it swung it's huge shielded arm, hitting Chief, it threw the super soldier through crates and into a wall. Kelly was the first to help John as the hunter behind her exploded into a million pieces thanks to their teen weapon. "John are you alright?!" Kelly caught her breath as she helped peel her leader out of the dented wall.

"I'm fine Kelly thanks. It's not the first time this has happened." John sighed sorely, grabbing his riffle brushing himself off.

"Samus where did you get those weapons they're extremely useful." Fred asked cuffing a hand on the teens shoulder plate.

(Past missions in other galaxies.) Samus replied checking up on her favourite spartan.

"Yes I will try not to doubt your abilities." John sighed as he moved past the teen. "Lets keep moving blue team, reactor core is on the other side of this room."

Moving further they headed for the hanger bay after over loading the reactor. The bases computer began to announce the fail safe protocals. A change of plans ended up getting them outside blowing up cooling pipes or vents Samus didn't really know. All she knew was she was allowed blowing something up. Blue team did most of the work on the cooling systems, while she protected them, keeping the covenant at bay with her advanced weaponry.

The base rumbled with fire as the cooling system was taken down. Samus commanded her ship, rushing it to a nearby hanger bay.

Rushing the team, Chief commanded them to take out the covenant, and prep for take off. Clearing the covenant in seconds the spartans sprinted into the hanger bay.

"Samus has her ship ready!" Linda announced.

Firing on a grunt Chief replied with an order. "Quick board the ship."

"Clear." Linda rested her rifle.

"Time Linda?" Chief moved a grunt corps off controls, allowing the platform to raise to the Samus's ship

"89 seconds."

Chief quickly contacted command, Samus hated checking in with millitary personal she found it irritaiting and pointless even though it was a vital thing to do.

"Sierra 117 to Infinity, Argent Moon is scuttled, I'm reasigning blue team to Mariadian, possible contact with Cortana."

"Negative 117, we have another team prepped to deal with her." was the reply from Infinity.

(How would they...)

"The hell?" Fred had the same thing on his mind as Samus.

"You are to return to Infinity immediately."

Linda looked over her shoulder wondering what her leader's response would be to the Infinity's dying argument.

"Negative Infinity, I don't like it." Chief ended the call abruptly as more explosions came.

(Well whoever they are lets get there before they do!) Samus eagerly boarded her ship.

"Samus..." Chief sighed watching the teen board. "Fred prep that Prowler, I will go with Samus." John pointed to the Prowler next to Samus's ship.

"Oh hell no, I'm with the kid lets get moving." Kelly followed the teen in.

"Kelly no."

"You're not doing this alone John." Linda nodded at her leader as she followed the other females into the orange ship.

"Pointless arguing with the girls you know that Chief. There isn't enough time to prep that Prowler. And hey they can't court marshal all of us for this right?" Fred escorted John onto the Samus's hunter class ship.

The ships hatch began to close, as Samus piloted her ship to make a daring escape through explosions.

(Chief give me the coordinates to Maridian, and we should be there in about a couple hours.) Samus texted her idol, as they flew further away from the exploding base.

"Sending coordinates now." Chief made his way to the ships cockpit. It was small, filled with many lights and controls, with many unfamiliar alien symbols

Samus was in her blue jumpsuit tapping the keys on the command board in front of her. Probably locking in the coordinates he sent her moments ago Chief thought. "You said it will take a couple hours?" John asked standing behind the cockpit chair.

Samus replied with a nod and a thumbs up, seemingly odd for a reply back to him from the teen.

"That's enough time for a little R&amp;R." Kelly hopped in a chair behind the pilot seat, putting her feet up.

"Now lets talk about this contact with Cortana." Fred added sitting in the chair next to Kelly.

"There wasn't much contact, she said the reclamation is about to begin, a domain is open, saying that Maridian was next. I don't fully understand what she meant, but if we could get to Maridian, talk to her..."

"We're with you John." Kelly reassured her leader as she took off her helmet to clean all the blood and guts off her visor.

"All the way." Linda added as she entered the cockpit.

Chief gave a slight nod to his family of spartans. "Thank you blue team." exhaling, resting his arms and tense body wieght on the back of the pilot chair. His thoughts were lost, wondering what would happen if they found Cortana alive. And more importantly figuring out the meaning of Cortana's riddle.

Samus smiled, gazing up at her father figure that was leaning over her chair.

Chief shook off his thoughts noticing his teen smiling at him. He smiled back from behind his mask placing a large hand on the teens head. "Are you going to explain why you've been failing to tell me all about your "awesome" adventures as a bounty hunter?" John quoted, moving his large hulk body, crouching beside the pilot seat so he was somewhat more level.

Samus gazed around looking for an excuse, as she entered the ship into slipspace. She sighed, she supposed she could try speaking, for Chief. But all that came out was a pained whisper of giberish, with a dry cough.

Master Chief gazed back at his team to see them looking just as confused as he was. "Samus are you alright?" John wrapped an arm around Samus's shoulders.

Samus looked away from the super soldier, looking at the ships grey polished floor panels.

"Samus please tell me." John reassured the teen it was safe to tell him anything.

"..." Samus tried again, but nothing once more. Nothing but pained whispers now followed by a harsh cough attack.

Trying to comfort Samus and calm her coughing, Chief began rubbing the teens back. Seeing his medical spartan heading his way, John stood up, moving out of Kelly's way.

Kelly jumped out of her seat and stood in front of the teens exit path. After the coughing fit Kelly peeled back the blue jumpsuit that covered up the teens neck, revealing the horrifically burnt scarred neck. "Samus why didn't you let us examine this earlier?!" Samus looked away from the hysterical brunet.

John began running a fingure across the scars, Samus flinched, gasping as flashes of the intense burning of flesh with the taste of burnt blood ran through her mind. Pushing the examining hand away she let out frantic breaths.

John cocked his head back, his eyes behind his golden visor were stricken with concern for his young warrior. Rubbing her head passively, attempting to sooth his teens distraught.

"I remember now she was hit by lava, well that's what she said she was hit by. What the hell were you doing around lava, we never got the full story!?" Kelly hissed pointing an agitated fingure at the teen.

"Let's get some thorough scans on that throat first before story time." Fred brought out some medical equipment.

Kelly reluctantly agreed with Fred and began to pull out medical scanners. "There seems to be a lot of scar tissue blocking my scans I'm going to need a more heavy duty scanner Fred." Kelly complained as Samus squirmed uncomfortably during the examination process.

John thought and figured it would be best to ask questions that could be answered with either a yes or a no response to make it easy for the teen to communicate. "Samus did you ever treat the wound yourself or have someone else?"

Samus shook her head no.

Chief continued to question. "The last time you spoke, was about over a year with us correct?" this time recieving a nod from the teen. "Have you made any attempt to speak since then?" He recieved a head shake of no once more.

She didn't have to communicate through speech, it was always listen and go straight to hunting. She figured now attempt to speak coming out with nothing but airy pain, was a sign her injury had maimed her worse than she had thought.

Locking visors with Fred, Chief stepped out of the way of the busy female spartans, allowing them to continue their scans on the teen.

"If you're thinking what I am brother, she may have fogotten how to speak." Fred spoke to the approaching leader. "Or lost her voice as a result from the severe injury."

"That's what I'm thinking, but I'm thinking it's both a physical, and mental problem." Chief folded his arms standing beside Fred.

"How so Chief?" Fred grew curious to his leaders therory.

"The pain from a wound like that, especially on a first solo inexperianced mission, would be exgrutiating. Pain like lava burning your through many layers of skin, melting your throat would play back in your mind almost the moment anything to do with your neck came. I agree with you though, her mental state had taken her will to speak, causing her brain to reduce the speech usage, as speaking is now a fear causing her to avoid doing so in anyway possible. That has now caused a speech impairment in her."

"Well if she can still somehow speak, if anyone can get that kid to talk, it's you brother." Fred reassured his team leader.

"I hope so, we need communication other than texting it's not going to help her if she's in trouble." Chief was worried if they couldn't hear her shout warnings, or yell that she needs assistance out in a battle, she might end up dead or even more seriously hurt. Plus to him the texting was impersonal, compared to the usually overjoyed atmosphere the teens voice usually gave off.

Linda approached the two males with data. "Well believe it or not her unique genetic makeup is repared what it could of the wound. A normal human obviously would have died and not recover from lava melting you alive."

"When will she be able to speak?" John wasnt slow to ask questions.

"Her vocals do not appear healed enough to allow speech, though I do not think her voice will ever be the same again if they are. So she may speak but there is a higher possibility she could be mute." Linda replied reading off the report.

"That and the fact that she hasn't had any reason to speak lately, so she's probably a little rusty on speaking. But the tissue damage has practically mangled her vocal cords." Kelly added.

"I don't know Kelly." Fred argued.

"I don't want our little killer to be a mute for the rest of her life either but it might be Fred." Kelly scoffed folding her arms.

"I think we are under estimating Samus, she knows how to speak, she's just affraid too. She will speak, we all know she is not the kind of girl to give up." John dismissed all the negative thoughts.

(Resting areas are in the back if you want to get some sleep) Samus put text up on the cockpit window, tired of hearing the spartans talk about what could be with her.

"Alright blue team get some rest while you can, I have a feeling there is no rest in the near future." Master Chief pointed his team in the direction of the resting areas.

"That means you to Samus." John walked back to the teen in the pilot seat.

"..." Whispered giberish once more before text came onto the window.

(I know, but I'm pretty sure I get to extend my bed times now a days?) She threw in a sarcasm grinning sheepishly after a yawn.

John smirked behind his mask, promptly scooping the tall well muscled teen out of the chair. Sitting himself in the oddly large chair, almost two sizes too big for the teen. Pulling his helmet off, the cool air in the ship being refreshing to his pale skin.

Jumping out of the spartan's arms, Samus playfully pouted at the green armoured man, trying to pull him out of her chair was merely going to be impossible. "Good luck Samus." Chief scoffed throwing a few playful pokes in the teens ribs.

Samus crept a smile followed by a quiet giggle, as she fought back her adoptive father, smacking his hands away as she tried to pull him out of the pilot seat.

Samus sighed giving up, she sat down on her adoptive fathers lap, throwing her legs over the chairs left arm, while using the crook of Chief's arm that was resting on the right chair arm, as a pillow. Yawning once more, she had forgotten how much rest she hadn't had since her nonstop missions. Having forgotten all together about sleep. Although she knew the real reason behind forgetting, was she was avoiding her sleep.

Master Chief let out a relaxed exhale, happy he and his team were back together with his adopted kid. He always thanked Samus for unlocking his human side for him, he truely couldn't think of a better group of people he calls his family, to share his human side with. Samus getting to see more as his sibling spartans have a differen't human effect on him.

John gazed down and noticed the uncomfortable expression on the teens face. He knew something was wrong immediately. But played it off to see what he would get out of the teen. "I can move if you want your seat back?"

Looking up into Master Chief's blue eyes, Samus could see his concern lingering through the sorrow and confusion his eyes held. Smiling shaking her head no, her eyes quickly darted away, her smile turning into a frown.

"Why don't you get some rest. We can try and talk later." Chief shifted his wieght staring out the window of stars.

Sighing Samus got up leaving the cockpit, passing Fred on the way to her living quarters.

"You ok kid?" Fred held up an arm to block the teens path.

Samus nodded ducking under the arm escaping any further questions.

"And now the same for you, are you ok John?" Fred leaned on a wall next the the pilot chair.

Sighing John rested his head in his hand. "I'm fine Fred. We just need to figure out what's going on with Cortana, then we can focus on regaining Samus."

"So do you think Cortana is leading us to something?" Fred knew he was answering his own question, but was curious to know his leaders official opinion.

"It's clear that she is, what though, I do not know."

"My question is, how is she still alive?" Fred exhaled pushing off the wall.

John was done playing trivia for now, knowing the same questions would continue to play through out their wild goose chase. "I'm going to go check on Samus." he headed towards the exit.

"John." Fred stopped the spartan leader before he stepped out. "You know they're going to send a team to hunt us down right?"

"I understand Fred. You said you would follow no matter what. If you've changed you mind it's ok." Chief bearly looked over his shoulder.

Fred laughed at his leaders words. "You and I both know it's highly unlikely for me to leave my brother at a time like this. Plus Samus being your worry 24/7 once again, someones got to give you a break and take the worry for you every now and then."

Samus having her youthful mind at full power, activated her armour rolling in morph, between Chief's legs while he spoke to Fred. Sneaking back around to her chair Samus quickly transformed deactivating her suit, grabbing the helmet left beside the chair.

"I'm going to use that worry free promise to my advantage Fred." Chief grinned before continuing to the back of the ship to find his adopted kid.

Seconds later Samus appeared from behind the pilot chair with Chief's loose fitting helmet on. Almost walking into Fred, Samus made her wobbly path towards the exit.

Fred couldn't help but chuckle shaking his head at the teens quirkiness. "Kid you can make any moment brighter."

Giving a thumbs up Samus walked directly into a wall with a hard impact, making Fred cringe, before exiting to the back living quarters.

Confused at seeing only two females in the back living quarters John walked over to the brunet. "Kelly have you seen Samus?"

"She rolled out of here in her contorted ball just a moment ago." Kelly answered cleaning her shotgun.

Linda raised an eyebrow. "You didn't see her on your way in?" Linda looked over the brunet at John.

"She must have rolled under me while I was talking to Fred." John exhaled resting his hands on his hips.

"..." A silent giggling whisper caught all attention in the room.

"You brat, you take everything thats serious put it aside, and make sunshine for the whole team." Kelly chuckled placing her shotgun on her lap.

"I don't think that will ever fit your head properly." Chief pulled Samus in for a hug.

Kelly snorted at the scene. "You've grown soft in your old age." Samus gave a soft giggle as Kelly teased her father figure.

Poking the teen in the abdomen causing her to giggle and clench her stromach. "Who are you calling old?" John removed his helmet from the teasing teen.

Kelly snorted with a chuckle. "You're not young." not only was she laughing at the teen, she was also laughing at her leader being in full dad mode.

Linda chuckled softly to herself, enjoying the entertainment but not wanting to be involved. Noting that John seemed to be in a brighter mood since Samus reunited with them. She seemed to act like a big dose of happiness for the spartan leader.

"You want to repeat that?" Chief dared Kelly to continue her comments.

"Oh sorry I forgot your old age has taken a toll on your hearing." Kelly ignored the threatening tone.

"Watch it Kelly." John hissed silencing the brunet spartan. "You are as old as me remember, or has it slipped your mind, you going senile already?" John ended up throwing in one last taunt before returning to maturity.

"Nice John..." Kelly sighed shaking her head at the ridiculous come back.

Turning his attention back to his adopted daughter he smiled. "I'm glad to hear you can still laugh."

It felt like a pulsing fire flaring at every giggle she gave. (..It... hurts...) Samus activated her suit, along with a hologram in the middle of the room, with text admitting her pain.

"Only when you laugh, or all the time?" John quickly exchanged in his dry humour for concern.

(..Most of the time...) Samus slumped her large shoulder plates.

"Well maybe you have to break through a layer of pain before it reverts back to normale, try speaking." Kelly gave her expert advice.

Linda dropped her sniper to her side face palming. "That's the most ridiculous advice I have ever heard. She has permenant damage Kelly, I don't really think it's going to make a difference!" Linda snapped, catching Samus and Chief off guard.

"You've got a better cure Linda?" Kelly stabbed the butt of her shotgun into the floor.

Rolling her eyes Linda stood. "Kid, personally I think it's just as much mental pain as it is physical. I halfway agree with Kelly, continue whatever noise you can make, to break through your fear of the pain."

Samus clenched her throat to cease a violent cough as she attempted to speak only causing violent pain. (..I will...try...) She responded before exiting back to the cockpit.

Fred made his way to the living quarters, allowing Samus to pass under his arm, as he entered. "Kid dosen't stay in one room for very long." He scoffed joining his teammates.

"Never has Fred." Kelly replied handing Linda weapon cleaner. "What do you expect from an independent bounty hunter. She has been working on her own for a year and a half now, being back on the team is a huge transition, considering teamwork never really was her strong suit in general anway. Hopefully we get to hear some stories of her epic bounty hunts."

Fred sat himself next to Linda on a large black chair. "It might be a while before she regains enough strength in her vocals for those stories to come out."

"What happened to that rest I ordered the team to take?" Chief finally spoke up.

"Um it can come once the mission is over." Kelly shrugged her shoulders.

Tucking his helmet under his arm Chief exhaled. "We do not know how long that will be Kelly."

"Sorry Chief but I just don't see how sleep has ever been our priority, so no, sorry this is an order I cannot comply with. Plus a couple hours dosen't exactly sound like enough for a power nap."

"Fine I am not going to argue with this." John grumbled walking back into the cockpit.

Samus stood still in her blue zero suit, starring intensely at the stars out the window. Approaching the girl John watched as the reflection of stars danced in her young focused beautiful blue and green mixed eyes. He wondered what was on her mind, his adopted child was many things, subtle was one of them. Another thought popped into his head, this mission must have been confusing to the teen, seeing as he had never mentioned much about Cortana to the her. And now he had her on a wild hunt for something she had no idea what it was.

"Samus I'm sorry I dragged you into this wild hunt, we can find our own aircraft once we land on Maridian, you do not have to do this." he apologized placing a firm hand on the teens well toned shoulder.

Samus gave a small laugh as text popped up on the cockpit window. (Chief I'm a bounty hunter!) she coughed. (What do you think my missions are!?) regaining her breath she smiled. (I'm not going anywhere with out you.)

John sighed knowing Samus was just to much of a good kid to ever get rid of. Thinking back a few years, he hated himself for ever thinking of trying to get rid of his adopted child, regreting having those thoughts everytime it wormed it's way into his head. With out realizing, he needed Samus, just as much as she needed him.

Staring back at the stars Chief thought to himself. If he found Cortana, just thinking about how intrigued she would be by Samus. Her genetic makeup, her skills, and abilities. Her way of breaking herself into the hardest of hearts. He figured she would be most interested in the teen. Samus was something differen't, not the same old spartan 2 that he was.

(So... who is... Cortana?) Samus choked blood through a whisper.

"She is an AI I was paired with, she was rampant, and died just before we found you."

(How... is she...)

Turning his head to face the teen Chief replied. "Alive now? I believe she fell into slip space. But we are going to find out how and why she is still alive as soon as we find her." He explained.

The sound of a door swishing open caught both of their attention. John turned around seeing Linda making her approach. "John we are short on our ammunition supply. And surely there isn't any on this ship." the sharp shooter glanced at the teen who shook her head in response.

Closing his eyes briefly John exhaled. "Once we get on Maridian we can scavange whatever weapons and ammo we can find."

"Outer colony planet, they definitely wont be handing over weapons and ammo as a welcoming gift." Linda sighed looking to her leader.

Those hours flew by in what felt like minutes. Coming out of slipspace it took only moments for the ship to alert that someone was trying to contact them. Pressing an odd looking symbol the call was quickly conected. "Unknown vessel identify yourself!" A raspy glitched voice demanded.

Samus was about to reply with a text but Master Chief waved her off and replied back himself. "This is spartan sierra 117 of the UNSC..."

The spartan was cut off by a scoff. "Uh 117, we've been expecting you, please dock your vessel at these coordinates. Then we shall talk about Cortana." The voice trailed off ending the call as suddenly as it began.

A blip on the screen notified Samus of the sent coordinates, and she quickly set course.

"That was uh... I feel like we are jumping in blind here Chief." Fred voiced his thoughts, his DMR in his hands ready for use. "Seems like a trap, how id he know we were coming, and he knew about Cortana.

"Who was that anyway?" Kelly thought aloud. "It was nice of him to introduce himself.

(Governor Sloan, he is an AI and leader of the colony.) Samus gave out a quick identification scan to the team.

"That answers your question Kelly." Fred tapped the brunet.

"Hmph you think he had contact with Cortana then?" Kelly looked at John for a reply.

Loading his assault riffle, placing the weapon on his back before turning to his team. "Possibly Kelly. Alright keep to yourselves, be ready for anything blue team. This is a frontier colony, remember keep to ourselves, and don't start any unnecessary conflict... Samus..." Master Chief glared at the teen as her armour was activated.

Samus gazed up at the green spartan, lifting her arms in a "What did I do" manner.

"Just stay close Samus." John sighed walking to the hatch of the ship as the ship docked.

Stepping out of the ship onto the metalic pannels of the docking platform all four Spartans recieved a transmission as soon as their boots hit the ground.

"Welcome to Apogee 117, you brought your friends. Cortana has seemed to allow this."

"Has allowed? Who are you?" Kelly hissed as they were greeted by a squad of marines.

"I am an ally of Cortana, I am here to point you in the correct direction. I am governor Sloan, my people are no threat to you."

John signaled his team to lower their weapons. "Governor what do you know about Cortana, can you lead us to her?" Chief was in no mood for a riddle.

"I can indeed spartan. But take heed, I can only give a location, finding your way is up to you. I have other needs to tend to."

Samus didn't like putting her trust into an a stranger, but Chief seemed to be determined. And she wasn't about to question something he understood that she didn't.

"Come on Sammy we're going to the mines." Kelly gestured Samus to follow the team through the door.

Samus followed at a jog, keeping watch out of the corner of her eye on the marines following.

"What do you think was so important that he had to blow us off like that?" Fred pivoted searching for any hostiles.

"Areas clear. No idea Fred, it's a glassed planet I don't know what could be so much more important than a bunch of strange spartans invading." Linda lowered her sniper from her visor.

Samus moved from the center position of the team taking point. This seemed like an easy enough mission for her to explore a bit, glancing over her shoulder at Chief, making sure her move was approved.

Chief didn't seem to bothered by the position change, as he could keep a better eye on his teen if she stayed directly in front. The only problem was that the young gun was eager to go further ahead and explore.

The place looked terrible the sky a murky grey mixed with purple. Running up ahead through the next opening door, rounding rubble and debris just out of blue teams sites. An earth quake quickly puased her sprint and earned herself a panicked call from her idle.

Pointing his riffle in all directions Chief called the teens name. "Samus!" signaling for the team to move, he led them around the debris to find the teen standing waiting for them.

Samus was scanning the area herself when the team jogged up behind her. (I'm fine. What was that quake Chief?) she quickly responded with text.

"I'm not sure. Stay close though." John looked to the sky as if the answer was in the dark clouds. "Let's keep moving blue team." John allowed Kelly and Fred to take point.

The deeper they continued into the planet, the darker and hotter it seemed to get.

"Is it just me or has the temperature been rising the further we go through this dump?" Kelly moved beside her quiet focused leader.

Kelly got her answer as they approached a bridge that crossed over a river of lava. Molten firey magma falls poured beside the bridge into the magma lake below.

Samus's breathing became erratic. She wasn't overly happy to be around lava again, almost clinging to Chief's side as they set foot on the bridge. The smell and heat reminded her of the pain her first solo battle injury brought, and was still suffering through. Even though she has had many missions with the dreaded fluid it still bothered her.

Feeling trembling from the form clinging to himself. "You ok?" Chief glanced down at his side at the nervous looking bounty hunter.

A quick nod was the teens respones, before spinning around with her cannon ready, to the sound of distant gunfire.

Fred thought aloud pointing his DMR in the direction of the sound. "That sounded close."

"We've had a clean run so far, let's get moving, we are nearing the coordinates." John could see the restless teen anxious to get off the bridge. "Linda cover our six." He pivoted on a dime and kept his direction firmly on the path ahead.

"Copy John." Linda pointed her sniper walking backwards as she followed the team to a large forerunner platfrom.

(It's... an... elevator...) Samus reported as she stepped onto the large alien platform first.

"More like a hellevator." Kelly peered over the edge at the lava bubbling below.

"What intel do we have on this place?" Fred asked flinching as the sound of distant gunfire echoed.

"None what so ever. But my guess would be forerunner definitely." Linda scanned behind the team for any signs of hostiles.

(We are being lead into what seems to be a guardian chamber.) Samus began to cough violently, as she gave her best intel from her scans.

A stressful sigh was released from John, as the elevator neared the bottum. "Easy Samus. Don't work yourself up so much." Master Chief glanced at the large door ahead of them.

"Well the forerunners really don't lack in flare when making their chambers." Kelly commented as the large door openened allowing them to access into the chamber.

Samus looked up to see constantly shifting floating circular platforms. The spartans were taking caution scanning the area as they came out the door. Samus on the other hand wasn't to thrilled about the paltforms hovering over the lava lake. But she figured since they have been over lava the entire time it was most likely safe enough to walk on.

Taking a chance Samus stepped on the nearest circular platform, scanning the blue light in the middle, quickly making note of it being a short ranged teleporter. Stepping into the light Samus appeared on a further upper platform.

(Hey Chief this way) Samus waved from her position on the upper platform.

"John did you assign any of us to keep an eye on the brat, or has that flown out the window?" Kelly drooped her shotgun resting it at her hips.

"Samus wait for us." John sighed putting his riffle on his back, without hesitation jumping onto the portal platform.

"Well anyone up for a game of rock hop." Kelly shrugged placing her shotgun on her back.

(Race you guys to the big portal) Samus smirked behind her visor.

Teleporting onto the same platform as Samus Kelly exhaled. "You're on brat." Kelly grinned behind her golden mask.

Fred stood with Chief on the first portal platform, putting his weapon on his back. "Rabbit not the time to be bouncing into a race." Fred sighed as Linda follwed the other females.

"Hurry up Fred you're holding yourself back with your talk." Kelly taunted.

John watched as the females of the team gained ahead only by a couple platforms. "I will bring up the rear, keep them in check Fred." he turned to Fred to confirm his order.

"You got it Chief." Fred quickly sent himself through the potral after the ladies.

Before he could set foot in the portal, John's actions were puased. The sound of gunfire on the other side of the door they came from catching his attention. Recognizing the weapon effects as human, he knew all to well it must be a team sent to hunt them down from either Sloan, or the Infinity's hunting party. Quickly jumping through portals, he looked up to see his team only about a platform ahead.

Fred sighed as he caught up with the three women. "Ok Kelly, kid enough speed racing, wait for John." Fred panted catching his breath.

(Come on Chief.) Samus tried to wave as John walked through the portal next to them.

"I'm here, move faster blue team." John ordered pointing the team to the next portal.

"What's the rush John, Fred just told us to slow it down?" Linda questioned her tense leader.

"We have company." John watched as Samus went ahead and walked through the next portal.

Appearing on the next platform Samus gazed down below spotting another spartan team standing near the first platform, noting one of the spartans were already on the second portal.

"What the hell is that?" the red spartan thought aloud as she glanced up at Samus. Kelly, Fred, and Linda came through seconds later.

"What is it kid?" Fred questioned the teens puase as Chief appeared behind them.

Follwing the teens glance below, John made eye contact with the blue visor of a dark looking spartan.

"Contact, contain!" The dark spartan shouted as they began quickly making their climb after them.

"Blue team move!" John ordered firmly giving Samus a quick nudge into the next portal.

Samus and Kelly took the lead, Linda and Fred not far behind. It was now a race to the top on opposite side each spartan team keeping pace. Finally Fred was the first one to arrive with Linda, Samus, and Kelly. That dark spartan approached riffle locked onto them. Samus quickly scanned the spartan and his team, gaining all the intel she needed in seconds.

"Blue team! Stay where you are." Spartan Locke demanded, as his team above on a platform kept their sites on the runaway spartans.

Blue team stood and waited for their leader, Samus stayed closest to portal they arrived through, pointing her cannon at the threatening spartan. John arrived seconds later walking over to his team he stood protectively infront of Samus.

The dark spartan quickly took aim at Chief. "117 stand down!" He ordered.

Blue team was silent mixed thoughts between all of them, they all turned their heads to their leader for any signal. Samus looked up at the Spartan in front of her, and wondered what he was going to do next.

"Sir you are abcent without leave, this is your one chance to come home peacefully." The spartan four respectfully warned 117.

Without even thinking Chief gestured with his head for his team to go on. Blue team doing so without questioin.

"Blue team, stand down!" Samus could hear the frustration in the dark spartans voice, as the team left through the giant portal.

"Samus go..." Chief whispered while the dark spartan was occupied.

"I won't... leave you..." Samus stood firm, walking out from behind Chief.

Grabbing hold of the teen and guiding her towards the portal with one hand, John glared at the blue visor. "I have a job to do."

Locke followed Chief's movement, the barrel of his DMR pointed directly at the Spartan two's head. "Cortana is our concern now."

Chief paused infront of the portal. "Like hell she is." releasing his hold on Samus he punched the dark spartan, disarming the black and blue spartan in a swift punch.

Samus watched as a full out battle between titans began, Chief was winning with ease at the beginning catching the spartan four off guard. Though the spartan four quickly recovered and began fighting back, it was now a battle of strength. It seemed to be evenly matched Chief got a few hard hits in. Tossing the spartan four to the ground a second time, Chief attempted a bone shattering punch, just missing the spartan four.

Locke rolled out of the way quickly kicking the attacking spartan two in the face. Chief stumbled back a moment giving enough time for the dark spartan to lash out with multiple quick attacks, punching the larger spartan then violently elbowing the golden visor, the sound of glass shattering as Chief fell to the floor.

Samus attempted to cry out for Chief but a blood filled violent cough erupted instead. Recovering from the harsh cough, she observed the threatening spartan, as he pulled something off his leg. Scanning it Samus quickly recieved the weapons purpose. Samus had no time to think as the spartan began to approach her downed adopted father.

Tackling the dark spartan to the ground, knocking the armour immobolizer out of his hand.

Half dazed John noticed out of the corner of his visor, the imobolizer slide over beside him.

Locke quickly rolled kicking the teen off him. Samus wasn't going to give up this fight, the spartan was smart but she was quicker. Kicking out his legs, throwing him onto his ass once more. She elbowed with all her body wieght into the spartans abdomen, the gut wrenching sound of coughed up blood could be heard. Samus quickly batted the spartan upside the head with her cannon, leaping away from him she waitied for the next move.

John slowly got up glancing over at the battle between his adopted kid and the dark spartan. Samus was holding her own, but Locke was getting smart to her moves.

Faking attacks he then threw in powerful punches eventually throwing the teen off balance. The spartan four was able to slam the team down onto the ground. Jumping back up Samus slammed her cannon into the blue visor, clearly dazing the soldier.

"Samus." John caught the teens attention, briefly showing the immobolizer in his hand.

Samus nodded in acknowledgment, as the blue visored soldier picked himself up.

Locke was about to grab the bounty hunter, when Samus quickly contorted into morph ball just in time for Chief to slam a punch into the spartan four. Chief began to beat on the soldier once again, turning it into a battle of strength.

Samus eventually boosted into the back of the dark spartan's legs, causing him to go off balance. Chief threw in one more hit before plastering the immobolizer to spartan Locke's chest, freezing anymore fight left in him.

Samus quickly transformed jogging to Chief's side. He quickly glared up at the fire team that stared at them in awe. Placing a firm hand on the bounty hunters back, John escorted his teen through the portal, as one of the fire team's members jumped onto the platform towards their frozen leader.

"Who, and what was that, orange, ball, arm cannon totting, thing!?" Buck had to make his joking toned coments to voice his confusion.

"Dammit, no time to discuss now Buck!" Locke exhaled angrily, as the place began to rumble.

The swish of a platform falling into the lava bed below Osiris brought them panick to escape. "Move!"


	9. Chapter 9

Samus stumbled through the portal as the whole place around them began to quake, the moan of ancient metal waking piercing her sensitive hearing.

John helped the orange armoured teen regain balance, as the portal behind them shut down, Blue team jogged over to them.

"What the hell happened to you, are you ok?" Kelly gasped examining the crack on her leaders visor.

(He kicked that guys ass is what happened!)

Ignoring his teens adrenalin rush Chief sighed. "I'm fine it's just a surface crack." John watched Samus take a few steps away from him.

Fred rested his gun against his chest. "Great, so where are we?" he gazed up looking for an answer in the shifting metal above.

"I'm not sure..."

(It's called a guardian, it's some sort of promethean policing ship, thingy, that polices galaxies and such.) Samus gave the short synopsis from her scan.

The team gave their full attention to the teen, Samus could only imaging that their faces read confusion of how she knew that information. (Scanned it, got what little info it provided) she shrugged her shoulders.

At that a sonic metalic roar brought all weapons up, as the surrounding area began to quake with great force as it shifted, it began to feel like a large craft taking off.

"What's that roar?" Linda yelled over the guardians song.

(It's a slip space signal)

Kelly spread her feet to keep balance, holstering her shotgun she shot a glare at Samus. "The fu... wait did you say it was a some type of ship?!" Kelly shouted over the metalic wails.

Samus glanced at Chief before nodding slowly. "This thing is going to jump!?" The thoughts of all those people on the planet being killed in the jump filtered through John's mind.

Fred was thinking the same. "All those people are going to be killed in the jump!"

Though they did not meet Sloan personally, Samus was suspicious of him. (Some how I think Sloan knew this was going to happen, I'm tapping into their channels they seem to have been evacuating during the time that spartan team found us. Also seems like that team of spartan fours are desperately making their attempt to saftey.) Samus noted to the others.

"We should help with the evac" Fred gestured with his gun.

Shaking her head Kelly gave a frustrated tone. "How we have no more exit?"

Master Chief knew there was little they could do, they were trapped on this forerunner contraption with no escape. "We can do nothing for them." John expressed little emotion as he watched the place around them transform.

Usually Samus would argue the thought of abondoning the option to try and help people in danger, but she knew her father figure was right, they could only wait. (We should probably move through there so we are not flying around when we enter slipspace.) the teen gestured toward a forerunner door off in the distance.

"Lets move blue team!" John ordered following his teen towards the large opening door.

Samus was the first through the door the team of spartans arriving behind her seconds later. The room was large, illuminated by a royal blue glow the sound of electronic hums and blips echoed in the empty space. Once the team was fully in the room the door latched shut with the sound of a locking mechanism.

Linda walked over to another door on the opposite side of the room "All doors are locked, no visible exit."

"Samus what is this place?" John holstered his riffle onto his back, scanning with his eyes the empty room they were now trapped in.

Switching visors to scan the room they were stuck in. (Do I look like the info guide to this gurdian?) Samus rolled her eyes as her scan finished.

Kelly tapped the walls with a balled up fist checking for a hidden exit. "Teenager sarcasm, we needed some of that?" Kelly snorted pushing off the wall.

After reviewing the info Samus slumped her shoulders forward. (It's a holding cell as far I can see. Pretty much for us it's a saftey room to avoide dying while going into slipspace.)

"Did you say a holding cell?" Linda looked over her shoulder to lock gazes with Fred.

"Safe maybe, but it's a holding cell." Fred gave a frustrated exhale.

(So what, what's the big deal.)

"Samus a holding cell is for prisoners..."

Samus cut off her leaders sentence. (I know what it is, so why is it such a big deal?)

"Well it has seemed to lock us in pretty damn good, I hope it unlocks once we arrive at it's destination." Fred hinted at Samus.

The conversation was quickly ended by a jolt, knocking them off their feet before a smooth humming sound rang idicating slipspace.

John looked at the cieling watching the blue lights flickering smooth as the Guardian began to hum. "We're in slipspace." he mused pushing off the floor.

"I would be happier to know where are we going exactly?" Linda picked herself off the ground with a long sigh.

Fred shook off the slip of gravity, deeply sighing he looked to his leader for answers. "John why did Cortana lead us onto this thing?"

Linda and Kelly attempted over and over again to guess at were the forerunner contraption was taking them. While Fred continued to press on with questions Chief couldn't answer at the given time.

Samus stayed calm and collected, exhaling she contracted her muscles at the sting in her throat. The sense of adeventure coursing through her. Rather then being confused and irritaited by the situation, Samus was more on the impaitient side, waiting for the opportunity to explore a new planet and continue their mission.

Her thoughts were quickly interrupted by an abrupt snarl from her father figure. "I don't know Fred, I am in the dark just as much as you are right now!"

Samus had never seen Chief outburst like that before, the situation must have been more frustaiting then Samus had originally thought. The team seemed just as surprised as Samus having their full attention on their leader. The teen noticed Chief looked just as shocked as his team, clearly the stress was finally begining to crack his solitary shell.

Sighing to himself he looked to his brother. "Fred I just don't have answers right now." John spoke in a apologetically as he looked away in distress and confusion. His gaze unintentionally meeting his adopted daughter, who looked up at him with care and concern. Her warm gazing mixed coloured eyes gave him enough comfort to recollect his solitary stature. "We wait for now, we will find answers once we get off this Guardian."

Samus watched as Chief strode towards her, respectfully she got to her feet to greet her aproaching adopted father.

John waved off the action, gesturing for his teen to sit back down.

Doing as she was told she relaxed as Chief sat beside her. He relaxed one leg while he rested his one arm on the other. "You must be missing your ship by now?"

Cocking her head back in surprise Samus was not expecting that for a conversation starter, especially from the Chief. (Not to much, I don't like sitting in that thing for very long.) Samus replied with a shrug.

"You understand it may have been damaged in the slipspace rupture from the Guardian."

(I never really keep it grounded on planets filled with unknown humans, it was flying around. So it may be damaged but not with us anymore.)

Master Chief gave an understanding grunt, leaning the back of his helmet against the wall they sat against.

(You seem flustered.) Samus mentioned catching her fathers full attention.

He merely looked at her, almost as a challenge, waiting for another comment from the intuitive teen. But to his avail she stared with just as much of a concentrated challenge. With a deep sigh he looked to the cieling once more. "The situation is a bit frustraiting I agree."

(I'm not frustrated.)

John could only imagine her soft calm voice speaking confidently in her youthful tone. Closing his eyes momentarily, he wished he could once again hear the joy of that youthful voice. It served somewhat of a souce of calmness for him, he enjoyed stimulaiting conversations with the teen, even if most of them were mediocre.

"No?" He quarried.

Samus shook her head confidently. (Nope.)

Smirking under his visor he chalenged. "Then what?"

(I'm excited.) She smiled cheerfully.

His helmet cocked back in surprise. "Excited, for what we are trapped on an unknown vessel?" John questioned his teen curiously.

(We may be on our way to an unknown planet in the universe, we will find new things out there, and possibly some answers to our confusion.) Samus gave her exited explanation to her leader.

John smiled at Samus's optimism he knew she was with them again, for a good reason. "You are right Samus. Just promise me you will stay in my sights, don't explore without me ok?"

(I promise Chief.) Samus smiled happily, overjoyed and content to be back in action with her adopted family. Even though she enjoys her fare share of the bounty hunting life, she had her homesick moments on her hunts. Even though she had lost her voice, Samus felt whole again standing beside her proud family of war heros.

Samus's thought's flowed calmly through her mind as her brain began to attempt to shut her body down for some R&amp;R. It had been almost weeks since Samus last slept, and over a year since she had last had a good sleep session.

John could read his teen was growing more tired by the minute, as her body began to sway from her resistance, before sliding into his strong solid shoulder. He did not move away he missed having his adopted daughter rest on him for saftey, protection and comfort her when nightmares accrued. Seems that his teen was the only one really capable of making him act and look more human then he really was.

Blinking her eyes tiredly she finally relized what was happening, almost jumping out of her skin she hopped to her feet, almost surprising Chief with the sudden action.

Chief found the spooked behaviour odd. "Is there something wrong Samus?" John knew Samus would never purposely run off like that especially with him.

Recollecting her hidden rappid breaths Samus shook her head to reassure the green spartan. With her streak of graphic hell raising nightmares, she no longer wanted anything to do with sleep. A nightmare filled slumber infront of her spartans especially Chief, would just bring to much unnecessary attention to her, she didn't want to be babied no longer. Wanting to prove her coming young adult maturity to the team.

Samus visibly jumped at the sudden firm hand on her shoulder. "Hey kiddo you look like you just saw a flood infection form. You ok?" Fred attempted to find eye contact with the reluctant teen.

Samus gave a glimps of her attention to the concerned lieutenant, sighing through a dry cough Samus nodded, even though she knew the spartan could read she was lying to him. She hoped they landed at their destination soon, she couldn't hide herself from Chief forever.

(Just bored that's all.) She shrugged changing the subject.

John nodded knowing sitting around doing nothing was not her strong suit. And as far as she could tell the team of spartans were no differen't in mind.


End file.
